'Nepal Constitution to be amended to address Madhesi demands'

Former Nepal prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today said that the Constitution will be amended soon to accommodate the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties and other ethnic groups.
"The issue relating to Constitution's amendment will be resolved soon as agreement is being forged among the main opposition CPN-UML and agitating Madhesi parties in this regard. Preparations for elections are also underway along with the process of constitutional amendment," Nepali Congress president Deuba said in Dhangadhi.
"The constitution will be fully implemented with the conduct of parliamentary, provincial and local level elections," he said.
Meanwhile, the talks held among the top leaders of the three major parties, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) at the prime minister's residence were moving towards positive direction, sources said.

The discussions held on the issue of amending the Constitution were positive and senior leaders have agreed to register a proposal on this in Parliament at the earliest, sources said.
The top leaders of all parties have agreed that they should move ahead jointly after forging consensus to take the Constitution towards implementation, CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Barshaman Pun said.

The leaders have realised the needs of amending the Constitution to find a smooth way for its enforcement and the meeting had focused on the amendment issues with a positive note, Pun added.
Nepal promulgated its new Constitution in 2015 after years of political wrangling.

Madhesis, largely of Indian-origin, are opposed to the new Constitution and had launched a months-long agitation last year in which over 50 people died.
The Madhesis are protesting against the seven-province federal model enshrined in the Constitution which they claim will marginalise them politically.