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🇳🇵 Nepal /Elections & Politics

Bureaucracy gripped by fear and uncertainty as trust deficit deepens

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Prime Minister Balendra Shah's reforms have caused unease among civil servants, with warnings of declining morale and deepening mistrust.
  • A proposed bill could force retirement for nearly 10,000 civil servants, while political advisors are reportedly bypassing formal channels.
  • Officials cite the dissolution of unions, arrests, and controversial appointments as evidence of a deteriorating relationship between the leadership and the bureaucracy.

A wave of unease is sweeping through Nepal's civil service as Prime Minister Balendra Shah pursues a sweeping overhaul of the bureaucracy. Incumbent and former officials express growing concern over plummeting morale, a widening trust deficit, and significant uncertainty regarding the future of the nation's administrative system.

Until now, you have worked in the interest of the people’s representatives, not the people. Let that not happen anymore.

— Prime Minister Balendra ShahDuring his first meeting with government secretaries, setting a critical tone for his administration's relationship with the bureaucracy.

Central to the growing tension is a proposed Civil Service Bill that could mandate retirement for nearly 10,000 civil servants upon reaching 55 years of age or completing 30 years of service. Simultaneously, bureaucrats report that political advisors and members of the prime minister's secretariat are increasingly issuing directives directly to senior officials, circumventing established institutional protocols. This practice is seen as eroding long-standing norms.

You passed the Public Service Commission exams, and the ministers today are also educated. Do not try to teach us. Do not shirk responsibilities or try to lecture ministers by citing laws and rules.

— Prime Minister Balendra ShahAddressing senior bureaucrats, implying that their reliance on regulations was a form of obstruction.

The friction became palpable during Shah's initial meeting with government secretaries after assuming office. His remarks, suggesting that bureaucrats had previously served "the people's representatives, not the people," were perceived by many as a broad indictment of the entire civil service rather than a call for reform. He reportedly questioned their commitment to public service, accused them of using regulations to avoid work, and warned those unable to adapt to step aside.

You passed the Public Service Commission exams, and the ministers today are also educated. Do not try to teach us. Do not shirk responsibilities or try to lecture ministers by citing laws and rules.

— A secretaryRecounting Shah's remarks, which suggested compliance with laws was being treated as resistance.

For career civil servants, whose work is inherently governed by legal and procedural frameworks, the prime minister's message implies that adherence to regulations is being equated with resistance. Officials describe Shah's directive to "match our speed or clear the way" as leaving little room for professional counsel or institutional checks and balances. This has fostered an environment where compliance is viewed with suspicion, and a fear of reprisal is palpable.

match our speed or clear the way

— Prime Minister Balendra ShahA phrase reportedly used by the prime minister that officials say leaves little room for professional advice or institutional checks.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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