Code of Conduct Issued for Chief Administrative Officers

Separate Code of Conduct Issued for Local Level Chief Administrative Officers

The Government of Nepal has issued a separate code of conduct with the objective of making the conduct of chief administrative officers of local levels impartial, neutral, disciplined, dignified, and ethical. The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has prepared the code of conduct and has already sent letters to all local levels for its implementation.

The issued code of conduct sets various rules and standards of conduct that chief administrative officers must follow while performing their official duties. According to Ministry Spokesperson Ekdev Adhikari, the main provisions of the code of conduct are as follows:

1. They must remain responsible and dedicated to the work responsibilities of the local level.

2. They must remain honest as cooperative officials with elected representatives, service recipients, and stakeholders with whom they are in direct or indirect contact, and must stay committed to service delivery.

3. They must not display abnormal or extravagant behavior in offices, hotels, restaurants, or other public places.

4. If problems that arise or are likely to arise while performing duties cannot be resolved, they must inform the chairperson or mayor of the concerned local level in time.

5. Even outside office hours, if they receive instructions from the Ministry Secretary or the head of the local level to carry out any work as per law, they must complete the prescribed process and perform such work on a priority basis.

6. While going for project monitoring and visits, they must go only after informing the chairperson of the local level, and after returning from the visit, they must submit a written report to the local level executive.

7. During office hours, they must mandatorily wear the prescribed dress and identity card.

8. They must not be influenced by anyone’s recommendation or request.

9. They must not meet service recipients, service providers, or businesspersons at any place or residence for the purpose of gaining personal benefit.

10. They must not accept any type of gift or hospitality from any person or institution related to the work of the local level without the approval of the executive and the Ministry.

11. They must not perform any act that gives them illegal benefit.

Ministry Spokesperson Adhikari clarified that since the local level is a government, the code of conduct followed by chief administrative officers will have a positive impact on all other employees, and therefore this code of conduct has been prepared and implemented.

As per the provisions of the Local Government Operation Act, the Ministry has been assigning chief administrative officers to local levels. The Act provides that joint secretaries should be assigned the responsibility of chief administrative officer in metropolitan cities and sub-metropolitan cities, under secretaries in municipalities, and section officers in rural municipalities.