By Our Reporter Amending the constitution was the key slogan of the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML when they inked an agreement to forge an alliance and form the present government on July 1. The two big parties in the parliament claimed that their alliance was for political stability in the country by amending the constitution, especially the election system. They argued that the present mixed election system prevents a single party from garnering a majority and in the absence of a majority, no government could complete the full five-year terms. What NC and UML have planned is to introduce a two-party system so that one of the parties could garner a majority in elections. Right from the day he was appointed Prime Minister of the NC-UML coalition, Prime Minister Oli has been arguing that they would amend the constitution for progress, not for regression. The NC leaders are also making similar expressions on the agenda of the constitution amendment. However, the Maoists have said that the two big parties are planning to amend the constitution for regression—to end the political achievements, which PM Oli has outright refuted. Almost every day, he has been making statements on the constitution amendment agenda that the constitution would be amended for progress and development. However, it is not that easy to amend the constitution by the present parliament. The ruling parties enjoy a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives but they lack a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and the amendment proposal should be endorsed by the two-thirds of both the Houses of the parliament. Therefore, the constitution amendment looks impossible till March next year until the term of the one-third of NA members expires and NC and UML manage to elect their men in the Upper House. Again, the constitution is a document of compromise and it cannot be amended without bringing the Maoist Centre to the board because Maoists were major forces for drafting and promulgating the present constitution. Maoists may not agree to make an amendment which could end their existence as a political party because the proposed amendment is intended for establishing two parties and eliminating the smaller parties. Thus, the job of amending the Constitution does not look like an easy job.