HONG KONG, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will start its 2020-2021 session on Oct. 14, according to the Gazette of the HKSAR government on Friday.

HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced the date in a statement following a decision of China's top legislature earlier this month for the sixth HKSAR LegCo to continue performing duties for no less than a year in a bid to address the vacancy caused by the postponement of the LegCo election.

The election for the seventh-term LegCo members of the HKSAR, originally scheduled for Sept. 6, 2020, will be put off for a year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Lam has said the decision of the top legislature maintains the constitutional and legal order of the HKSAR and ensures the normal governance of the HKSAR government and the normal operation of society.