Maximum complaint time since announcement of election results

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ACT (1992-03-16)

PART VII Election Petitions and Inquiriesinto qualifications.

84. (1) Every election petition shall bepresented within twenty-onedays of the date of the production of the writ for the election to theHouse of Assembly under the provisions of section 77:

Provided that-

(a) an election petition questioning thereturn or the election upon the ground of a corrupt practice and specificallyalleging a payment of money or other act to have been made or done since thedate of the production of the writ by the Member of Parliament whose electionis questioned or by an agent of the Member of Parliament with the privity ofthe Member of Parliament or his election agent in pursuance or in furtheranceof such corrupt practice shall, so far as respects such corrupt practice, bepresented at any time within twenty-eightdays after the date of such payment or act but in no event shall an election petition be presented afterthe expiration of sixmonths from the date of the production of the writ of election to theHouse of Assembly as aforesaid;

(b) an election petition questioning thereturn or the election upon an allegation of an illegal practice shall, so faras respects such illegal practice, be presented within twenty-eight days after the date of thealleged commission of such illegal practice, but in no event shall an election petition bepresented after the expiration of six months from the date of the production ofthe writ of election to the House of Assembly as aforesaid.

(2) An election petition presented in duetime may, for the purpose of questioning the return or the election upon anallegation of a corrupt or illegal practice, be amended, with the leave of theElection Court, within twenty-eight days of its presentation.

Georgetown University, Center for Latin America studies,