Speaker Devraj Ghimire has formed a seven-member special parliamentary committee to investigate suspected tampering with the ‘cooling-off period’ provision in the Federal Civil Service Bill.

Speaker Ghimire announced the committee’s formation during Monday’s House meeting.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Jeevan Pariyar will lead the panel, which is given 21 days to complete the task and submit a report.

The committee was formed under Rule 180 of the House of Representatives Regulations, which states that the House can form a special committee to address sensitive or serious matters.

The issue drew controversy last week after it was revealed that the bill endorsed by the plenary of the House of Representatives a week ago included a provision regarding the ‘cooling-off period’ which is just the opposite of what had been unanimously passed by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee.

The committee had originally recommended retaining the clause, intended to ensure ethical transitions in government service.

The ‘cooling off period’ provision endorsed by the committee bars any government officials from political appointments for at least two years after their retirement or resignation.

The probe panel will examine how the bill’s original content—particularly the provision related to a two-year waiting period for officials before assuming new posts—was altered keeping the lawmakers in the dark.

The seven-member panel comprises two lawmakers each from the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, and one each from the CPN (Maoist Centre), the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).

According to the notice read out in the House meeting, Pariyar and Sushila Thing will represent Congress, Narayan Prasad Acharya and Ishwari Gharti will represent UML and Madhav Sapkota will represent Maoist Centre in the committee. Ganesh Parajuli of RSP and Roshan Karki of RPP are other members of the panel.

The committee has been entrusted with four specific tasks–finding how the tampering occurred; its reasons; identifying the persons involved in the tempering; and recommending corrective measures.

The investigation is expected to involve officials from the bill’s drafting process, including those from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, the Ministry of Law, and the secretariat of the State Affairs Committee.

It can also take the support of experts if deemed necessary.