KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has underscored the need for amending the constitution to address the demands of  Madhes-centric parties, reiterating the commitment to amend the constitution after the second phase of local level elections.

Taking a special time at the Legislature-Parliament session on Friday, the Prime Minister pledged to commence the constitution amendment process after the completion of local level elections and urged the Madhesi parties to contest in the second round of polls slated for June 28.

"There was no situation of passing the constitution amendment proposal in the past. We are making consistent efforts to that end. The Madhes-centric parties should take part in the second round of local polls and I am confident that they will do so," he added.

Referring to the fracas over vote count in Bharatpur Metropolitan City,  he said this was not the first time ballot papers were torn and all political parties would take and understand the Bharatpur incident in line with the decision of the Election Commission on the issue, and side by side should realise that the matter was sub judice at the Supreme Court.

He also stated that Nepal has adopted an inclusive proportional representation system nowhere to be found in the world, stressing on the need of moving ahead towards securing more rights while institutionalising the rights that have been already established.

"The government remains unwavering to going ahead with conducting the three tiers of elections as per the constitutional provision," PM Deuba reiterated.