Bhubaneswar, Aug. 17: The state government will promulgate an ordinance to defer elections to co-operative bodies in the state by another six months.

Co-operation minister Damodar Rout said: “Hearing a special leave petition, the Supreme Court has allowed us to conduct the elections. We are prepared to hold the elections. Accordingly, we have also taken steps. But to gear up the election machinery, it will take some more time. Since the Assembly is not in session, we will bring in an ordinance.”

The election to the co-operative societies should have been held within 18 months — commencing on January 30, 2013 and to be completed by July 31, 2014. But, the process could not be initiated. Rout said that after dissolution of the co-operative societies, the power to run the co-operative bodies was vested with the registrar of co-operative societies. “Under the ordinance, we will extend power to the registrar for another six months to run the societies. By that time, we will be ready to hold the elections,” he said.

Since 2011, elections have not been held to these co-operative societies.