Discussion on Next Chief Secretary Intensifies as Current Incumbent Nears Retirement

Kathmandu. As the 29th Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal, Suman Raj Aryal, is set to retire compulsorily on June 26 due to the age limit, discussions have begun in administrative circles about who will be the new Chief Secretary. Secretaries are making their own efforts to assume the responsibility of the Chief Secretary, the highest position in the administrative sector.

There are 10 secretaries vying to become the 30th Chief Secretary. Section 19(2)(a) of the Civil Service Act states, 'The Chief Secretary, who is a gazetted special class post, will be selected and promoted from among the incumbent secretaries based on seniority and efficiency by the Government of Nepal.' Secretaries who fall under this provision of the Act are lobbying to be promoted to Chief Secretary.

However, secretaries are concerned that the order of seniority might be violated in the appointment of the Chief Secretary, just as it has been in the appointment of the Chief Justice, where seniority has been overlooked. Prime Minister Balen Shah, who chairs the Constitutional Council, recommended Dr. Manoj Sharma, who was fourth in seniority, for the post of Chief Justice, bypassing Sapana Pradhan Malla, who was first in seniority. Sharma became the Chief Justice after a parliamentary hearing.

A source from the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers informed that the order of seniority is likely to be violated in the appointment of the Chief Secretary as well, given the provision in the Act that states 'based on seniority and efficiency.' 'This time, we are preparing to base the decision on efficiency rather than seniority,' a member of Prime Minister Shah's advisory group told Ratopati. 'Among the 9 senior secretaries, the one who is most efficient will be promoted.'

Among the current secretaries, the 10 senior-most secretaries were promoted around the same time.

As of the date of the Chief Secretary's appointment, Kiran Raj Sharma, Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers, will be first in seniority. Second will be Hari Prasad Mainali, Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers (additional group). Third will be Dilliram Sharma, also from the additional group of the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers. Fourth will be Govinda Prasad Sharma, from the additional group of the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers, who has been assigned the responsibility of monitoring Tribhuvan International Airport.

Similarly, fifth in line is Rajkumar Shrestha, Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Sixth is Gopal Sigdel, Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Development. Seventh is Rabilal Panta, Secretary at the National Planning Commission. Eighth is Krishnabahadur Raut, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. Ninth is Rameshwar Dangal, Secretary at the Public Service Commission, and tenth is Mukund Prasad Niroula, Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

There are 3 secretaries currently above these secretaries in the seniority list, but they will retire compulsorily before Chief Secretary Aryal. Madhusudan Burlakoti, Secretary at the Election Commission; Pramila Devi Shakya Bajracharya, Secretary at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation; and Krishna Hari Pushkar, from the additional group at the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers, will retire before Chief Secretary Aryal. According to the records of the Civil Service Record Office, Bajracharya retires on June 30, Burlakoti on July 4, and Pushkar on July 8.

Secretaries retire compulsorily in two ways: one by completing a 5-year term of service, and the other due to reaching the age of 58.

According to Section 33(1) of the Civil Service Act, 2049, all civil servants, including the Chief Secretary, retire compulsorily after completing 58 years of age. Even if there is remaining age, the term of the Chief Secretary is a maximum of 3 years as per Section 17(2) of the Act.

If the promotion to Chief Secretary is based on seniority, Kiran Raj Sharma will remain in office until the end of November 2027. However, if he does not become Chief Secretary, he will retire compulsorily on July 19 due to the 5-year service period.

If Sharma becomes Chief Secretary, the remaining 9 secretaries in the competition will retire compulsorily before him. According to the National Civil Service Record Office, Mainali will retire on August 4, Govinda Prasad Sharma on August 10, Dilliram Sharma on August 18, Shrestha on September 1, Sigdel on October 9, Panta on October 14, Raut on December 16, Dangal on January 22, and Niroula on February 20.

The secretaries in the subsequent seniority order, currently in the additional group at the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers, Loknath Poudel, will retire on July 22 due to the 58-year age limit. Principal Secretary Baburam Adhikari of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers Office, Bagmati Province, will retire on August 19, and Secretary Mahadev Panta of the Office of the President will retire on January 16 due to the 58-year age limit.

A secretary working at the Prime Minister's Office and Council of Ministers said that while secretaries used to lobby political power centers, including the Prime Minister and ministers, for promotion to Chief Secretary in the past, this is not the case now. 'Previously, there was intense lobbying, with secretaries visiting leaders' homes to get promoted to Chief Secretary. This time, nothing like that has been seen so far,' the secretary told Ratopati.

The secretary also mentioned that a message has been received through Chief Secretary Aryal that Prime Minister Shah will entrust the leadership to a secretary capable of building a good governance, disciplined, and results-oriented administration. A close source said that Prime Minister's advisory group is screening the 10 secretaries for the post of Chief Secretary.

'Currently, the files of senior secretaries are being screened under the Prime Minister's directive for the post of Chief Secretary,' the source told Ratopati. 'A decision will be made within a week.'