PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The Haitian government has taken an important step to organize legislative and local elections that are two years overdue.

President Michel Martelly’s office says it has sent an electoral law to the official gazette for publication. The document seeks to clarify a dispute between the executive and legislative branches.

Martelly’s office has said the terms of 10 Senate seats are due to expire next month. Lawmakers say the seats don’t expire until January 2015. Opposition politicians and others fear Martelly will rule by decree if the terms of the Senate seats expire next month.

The elections are to fill 10 seats in the 30-member Senate and hundreds of local posts, to which Martelly has appointed dozens of interim officials.

Haiti’s National Palace made the announcement Tuesday.