"We have heard the news that her tenure has been extended by another one year but we have not been officially informed about it," said National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesman U Lwin.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the party, has been held since May 2003 by the military junta following a clash between her supporters and a pro-junta mob.

A group of low-ranking civil servants went to her home in Yangon on Saturday to tell her about the extension, according to an NLD source. The extension was confirmed by junta officials responsible for her security.

Security remained tight around her home on Monday and barriers remained in place on the main road to her villa.

The extension to her third term of house arrest comes two days after the ruling military announced that it had released more than 9,000 prisoners from its jails in the week from November 19.

"It is very clear that they have no intention of releasing her at this point," according to a Yangon-based political analyst.

The military has ruled Myanmar since a coup in 1962 despite the NLD winning national elections in 1990 by a landslide but they were never allowed to rule.