ISLAMABAD, Dec 12: The Sindh government has finally agreed to hold local bodies elections in the province on Jan 18, giving up its stance of getting them delayed till March.

According to an official of the Election Commission, the chief secretary of Sindh has assured the ECP that requirements for announcement of the schedule would be met by Dec 17 and the schedule would be announced on Dec 18.

This is the fourth time that ECP’s plan has been changed — from Nov 29 to Dec 7, Dec 9 and then Dec 13.

At a meeting on Wednesday with Sindh’s chief secretary, local government minister and advocate general the commission said the polling date could not be changed without the approval of the Supreme Court.

On Thursday, the provincial government officially informed the ECP that it was ready for polls on Jan 18.

The ECP official said the delay in issuing the schedule would not create any problems because only 30 million, not 110 million, ballot papers would have to be printed following an amendment to the Sindh local government law.

It may be mentioned that the delay would mean a violation of a provision of the Sindh Local Government Act of 2013 — Section 35(2) which requires that the government shall in consultation with the Election Commission make an announcement of the date or dates on which the elections for the councils shall be conducted in Sindh, “provided that the date or dates of such elections shall not be less than 60 days and more that 120 days from the date of such announcements”.

The term of the local bodies in Sindh will be four years from their first meetings which will be held not later than 30 days after the names of the members are notified.

The mayors, deputy mayors, chairmen, vice chairmen and members of the councils will have to file declarations of their assets and liabilities within 30 2days after taking oath.