Official sources disclosed yesterday that the ordinance, which was promulgated in December last before conducting the elections to the Municipal Councils, has lapsed since the government failed to introduce the necessary legislation in the last Budget Session of the Vidhan Sabha for enacting it into an Act. The Vidhan Sabha has now been prorogued, which means either a fresh ordinance should be promulgated or another Assembly session be convened for the purpose. The State government, which was supposed to have completed the panchayat polls last year, has now been fixed a deadline of June 30 next for the purpose by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Under the previous ordinance, the campaign period was cut from 21 days to 10 days. If a legislationhas to be enacted, the Session cannot be delayed much. On the other hand, the Session must be held in June next to introduce and approve the State's budget for 1998-99 before the end of that month.