Electoral Administration Act 2006

23 Offences as to false statements in nomination papers

(1) Section 65A of the 1983 Act (false statements in nomination papers) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (1), after paragraph (b) insert “or

(c) a certificate authorising for the purposes of rule 6A of the parliamentary elections rules the use by a candidate of a description if he knows that the candidate is standing at an election in another constituency in which the poll is to be held on the same day as the poll at the election to which the certificate relates.”

(3) After subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) A person is guilty of a corrupt practice if, in the case of any relevant election, he makes in any document in which he gives his consent to his nomination as a candidate—

(a) a statement of his date of birth,

(b) a statement as to his qualification for being elected at that election, or

(c) a statement that he is not a candidate at an election for any other constituency the poll for which is to be held on the same day as the poll at the election to which the consent relates,

which he knows to be false in any particular.

(1B) For the purposes of subsection (1A), a statement as to a candidate’s qualification is a statement—

(a) that he is qualified for being elected,

(b) that he will be qualified for being elected, or

(c) that to the best of his knowledge and belief he is not disqualified for being elected.”

(4) In subsection (2)(b) at the beginning insert “except for the purposes of subsections (1)(c) and (1A)(c),”.