Calm the alarming situation in the Secretariat

The administrative system of the country is becoming increasingly unstable following the protest against the Government Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, issued last Monday evening. Employees at the Secretariat have been demonstrating for four consecutive days by leaving their offices, and they have declared that they will continue their movement until the ordinance is repealed. They have also threatened to expand the movement across all government offices nationwide if their demands are not met.

According to the ordinance, four types of actions by government employees have been classified as offenses. If a government employee engages in any act deemed insubordination, or that may incite insubordination among other employees, disrupt discipline, or obstruct the performance of duties; if an employee, either alone or in coordination with others, remains absent from duty or refrains from performing duties without leave or any justified reason; if an employee incites or provokes another employee to be absent, refrain from duty, or neglect responsibilities; or if an employee obstructs any other government employee from being present at work or performing their duties—then that employee will be punishable for misconduct.

Government employees fear that under this ordinance, they may be forced to accept any repressive decision without protest. They are also concerned that their right to express opinions may be curtailed, as protest programs like work stoppages, assemblies, or strikes would no longer be allowed—activities they consider to be their constitutional and democratic rights. Many believe that this ordinance could be used to dismiss employees from their jobs, making it difficult for individuals with differing views to continue working.

The interim government is undergoing various state reforms. These reforms are being hindered by objections from different quarters. Any reform inevitably disrupts the interests of certain groups, so how can the government carry out reforms while overcoming so many obstacles? There has been long-standing discussion about the dominance of the bureaucracy. Bureaucrats, if they wish, can paralyze the state. Therefore, it is essential to reduce the power of the bureaucracy and hold them accountable. But in such a situation, how is the Government Service (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 feasible?

Those concerned say while it is true that the employees are now using force to press their demands, the government must also answer why it hastily issued such an ordinance without consulting everyone.

The question is, if the government does not carry out reforms now, when and how will it do so? According to media reports published on Tuesday (May 27), a committee is being formed to review the Government Service Ordinance. It is known that the committee will include seven important government secretaries and three representatives of the protesting employees. It is assumed that, faced with the protests, the government may reconsider this ordinance. How much of the issued ordinance will be retained is not yet clear. However, it is evident that the country has entered a new phase of complexity centred around this situation. The National Citizens Party views this incident as a kind of “administrative coup.” They also suspect that major political parties might be behind it.

We truly do not know what will happen in the country. But it is clear that the situation is alarming, and the protests in the Secretariat are making the country's condition more complicated. The divide between the government and administration has become very clear. Yet, we know the government means administration. So, who will run the country? We must reconsider who holds the administrative decision-making power. Whatever happens, the government must act judiciously to calm the current situation. The people of the country are deeply worried in this situation. It is the government’s responsibility to resolve this alarming situation.