Kathmandu, July 2 -- Lawmakers across party lines on Tuesday demanded an investigation into the unauthorised and cunning tampering of the Federal Civil Service Bill, done without Parliament's knowledge, and harsh punishment for those responsible.

The issue was discussed during the ongoing central committee meeting of the Nepali Congress, where it was condemned as a "betrayal".

After it became known that the provision of a two-year "cooling-off period" for senior government officials after retirement was removed from the bill, throughout Tuesday, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, former prime ministers, senior party leaders, and members of the parliament's State Affairs Committee and Good Governance Committee-which was entrusted to prepare the Bil...