Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said the number of electoral constituencies will be determined in accordance with the constitutional provision.

Talking to reporters in Ghorahi of Dang on Saturday, DPM Mahara ruled out the possibility of adopting the same electoral constituencies as in the two Constituent Assembly polls. The country was divided into 240 constituencies for the CA elections.

The new constitution provisions 165 electoral constituencies in the federal set-up. Maoist Centre leader Mahara’s response follows reports that leaders of some political parties are in favour of retaining the old constituencies.

Electoral constituencies would be carved out according to the constitutional provision, Mahara asserted.

In another context, the DPM said the government plans to amend the constitution before holding the local elections in Province 2 on September 18. He urged the CPN-UML to help in the process to address the demands of the agitating parties.

Mahara was in Ghorahi to lay the foundation stone of a building for the Rapti Sub-regional Hospital.