Nepal, July 3 -- It was a diabolical manipulation. The issue of the 'cooling off period' in the Federal Civil Service Bill is again heating up. A new provision barring civil servants from political appointments in constitutional bodies, ambassadorial positions and other posts for two years after their retirement or resignation, had been settled a month and a half ago by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives. The committee resolved the issue with consensus after a months-long discussion, and the bill was supposed to be approved by the House plenary as it is.

Events however took a dramatic turn when the text of the bill endorsed by the House meeting on Sunday was found to be different to the one pa...