The National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Federal Civil Service Bill, incorporating a two-year cooling-off period for senior bureaucrats before they can assume constitutional, diplomatic or other government positions.

Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Bhagwati Neupane tabled the motion to pass the bill along with the Legislation Management Committee’s report, which was endorsed without objection.

The upper house corrected the tampered provision on the cooling-off period. The bill now specifies that special and first-class officers—joint secretaries, secretaries and the chief secretary—cannot take up constitutional, diplomatic or government appointments, including ambassadorships, for two years after resignation or retirement.

On recruitment, the assembly decided that 10 percent of joint secretary posts will be filled through open competition, 10 percent through inter-level competition, and the remaining 80 percent through promotions. The House of Representatives had earlier passed a provision limiting open competition to 15 percent and the rest by promotion.

The assembly also overturned the House of Representatives’ amendment requiring civil servants to be enrolled in both the Social Security Fund and the Citizen Investment Fund. The bill now mandates affiliation only with the Health Insurance Board for contributory health insurance coverage.

Additionally, the bill requires the chief secretary to sign a performance agreement with the prime minister, and the Supreme Court registrar to sign one with the chief justice.

Tuesday was the final deadline for the upper house to pass and return the Federal Civil Service Bill to the House of Representatives for final endorsement.