LAHORE, Oct 12: The Punjab government intends to further delay local elections for at least six months by amending the Local Government Ordinance 2001, through another ordinance, sources told Dawn.

This would mean extension to the tenure of administrators, through whom the provincial government is directly controlling the districts, disallowing the elected representatives to exercise the powers vested in them under the Local Government Ordinance 2001.

The government had earlier twice extended the limit to notify a date for the local elections -- for six months and then for one year.

This period was expiring on Oct 21 but since the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government did not want to hold the elections it was going to further extend the date, sources said.

The government, in the first instance, intended to amend the local government law through a bill which was to be tabled in the last session of the Punjab Assembly.

“The bill was not tabled in the session. And there is no possibility of another session before Oct 21, therefore, we are going to extend the period for notification of the date for the elections through an ordinance,” a senior government official said.

Without explaining the course of action the government had up its sleeves, another official said if decided so the elections would be delayed through legal means.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah confirmed that the assembly session was not being held because of the government’s occupation with dengue. And it could delay the elections through an ordinance, he added.

The assembly is required to meet for at least 100 days in a parliamentary year which in the case of Punjab starts from April 18.

But it has so far met for only 40 days.

The law minister said the assembly session would be convened early next month and it would last for at least 30 to 35 days.