KATHMANDU: Tens of thousands of people are voting peacefully in a previously troubled southern Nepal province where ethnic violence demanding constitution changes had led to dozens of deaths in recent years.

Police said there was no trouble in the Province 2 during voting Monday where security had been stepped up for the municipal and village council elections.

The Madhesi ethnic group wants their provinces to have more territory than was assigned under the constitution adopted in 2015.

More than 50 people died in protest-related violence in 2015 and 2016. The protesters also blocked crossings at the border with India, resulting in severe shortages of fuel, medicine and supplies in Nepal.

Madhesi groups have vowed to continue their struggle for the constitutional demands but allowed the polls to be held.