Transferred officials fail to report to duty, leaving municipalities without leadership

By Premraj Simkhada,Kalikot, Sept. 25: A growing administrative crisis has emerged in Kalikot, where several government officials transferred to new postings have failed to assume their duties, continuing instead to operate from their previous offices.

According to local reports, heads of government offices and employees of various levels, transferred under the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration’s notice issued on August 28 have yet to join their designated workplaces. 

As a result, posts remain vacant in local bodies, provincial offices, and federal agencies. The absence of newly appointed officials has created significant difficulties, particularly in local municipalities. 

In Khandachakra Municipality, employees fear they will not receive their salary and Dashain allowances due to the absence of a designated office head. Under the ministry’s transfer list, Under Secretary Padma Bahadur Budha Chhetri was assigned to Khandachakra Municipality from the Karnali Province Public Service Commission office. 

However, he has not yet reported for duty. “The office chief submitted a medical leave request and sought cancellation of the transfer. As a result, there is no authority to process salaries here,” explained accountant Purna Chandra Kafle. Similarly, Mahendra Jung Shahi, currently at the Karnali Province Ministry of Finance, was transferred as the Chief Administrative Officer of Raskot Municipality. 

He, too, has not joined his duty. Employees say their colleagues’ refusal to report has left them in limbo. Out of nine municipalities in Kalikot, eight were assigned new chief administrative officers, but none have reported for duty to date. 

In Tilagufa Municipality, no demand has even been made for an office head. 

Instead, a seventh-level health sector employee has been unofficially handling administrative responsibilities. “Here, what matters is not qualification but alignment with local representatives. That is why the office is being run by a health-sector employee,” said one staff member.

Officials at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration have deflected responsibility. Information officer Bhupendra Sapkota informed that the personnel administration branch was looking into the matter, but repeated attempts to reach its staff went unanswered.

The Karnali Province government had also conducted transfers on August 15, assigning 83 officers from second-class gazetted to senior branch officer 8th level across its ministries, departments and district offices. Yet most of these employees have also failed to join their designated posts.

According to the Karnali Province Civil Service Act, 2080 transferred employees are obliged to complete handovers within 21 days, with an additional seven days allowed for preparation. 

In cases requiring more time, an extension of up to one month may be approved by the secretary concerned. Failure to join within this timeframe constitutes grounds for disciplinary action against both the employee and their current office head.

However, the deadline has long expired. Counting from the official transfer date of August 16, the 21-day handover period ended on September 5, while the extended preparation period ended on September 12. 

Despite this, many officials have remained in their former postings, citing political protection and support from employee unions.

This situation has left municipalities like Khandachakra and Raskot without functioning office heads, disrupting financial administration and causing severe inconvenience to staff and locals.