Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Pt. 3 applied (with modifications) (E.W.) by S.I. 1987/1, rules 2, 6 and S.I. 1986/2215, rules 2, 9 (which S.I. was revoked (2.1.2007) by S.I. 2006/3305, rule1(4), Sch. 1)
Pt. 3 applied (17.2.1994) by S.I. 1994/342, regs. 1(2)(3), 2(2), 11(2)
Pt. 3 extended (28.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/1214 reg. 5(3) (which S.I. was revoked (23.3.2004) by S.I. 2004/293, reg. 126)
Pt. 3 extended (9.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1184 reg. 7(2)
Pt. 3 extended (E.W.) (1.2.2002) by The Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/185), reg. 6
C2Pt. 3: power to apply conferred (S.) (14.9.2006) by Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 9), ss. 3(4), 17(2); S.S.I. 2006/470, art. 2
C3Pt. 3 modified (E.W.) (2.1.2007 for certain purposes) by The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 (S.I. 2006/3305), rule 1(2)(3), 6
C4Pt. 3 applied in part (with modifications) (S.) (17.2.2007 except for specified purposes) by The Scottish Local Government Elections Order 2007 (S.S.I. 2007/42), art. 4
C5Pt. 3 (ss. 120-186) applied (S.) (12.10.2009) by The Health Board Elections (Scotland) Regulations 2009 (S.S.I. 2009/352), reg. 6
C6Pt. 3 applied in part (10.11.2011 except for the purposes of any election to be held on or before 2.5.2012) by The Scottish Local Government Elections Order 2011 (S.S.I. 2011/399), arts. 1(1), 4
C7Pt. 3 applied (with modifications) (E.W.) (31.1.2017) by The Combined Authorities (Mayoral Elections) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/67), arts. 1, 7
C8Pts. 2, 3 applied (with modifications) (W.) (17.12.2021) by The Local Elections (Communities) (Wales) Rules 2021 (S.I. 2021/1460), rules 1, 6(1) (with rule 2)
C9Pt. 3 applied (with modifications) (4.3.2016) by The Recall of MPs Act 2015 (Recall Petition) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/295), reg. 1, Sch. 4 Pt. 1 (with Sch. 4 para. 2) (as amended (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Representation of the People (Postal Vote Handling and Secrecy) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1225), reg. 10(23))
(1)A Parliamentary election petition may be presented by one or more of the following persons—
(a)a person who voted as an elector at the election or who had a right so to vote; or
(b)a person claiming to have had a right to be elected or returned at the election ; or
(c)a person alleging himself to have been a candidate at the election.
[F1(1A)The reference in subsection (1)(a) to a person who voted as an elector at an election or who had the right so to vote does not include a person who had an anonymous entry in the register of electors.]
(2)The member whose election or return is complained of is hereinafter referred to as the respondent, but if the petition complains of the conduct of a returning officer, the returning officer shall for the purposes of this Part of this Act be deemed to be a respondent.
(3)The petition shall be in the prescribed form, state the prescribed matters and be signed by the petitioner, or all the petitioners if more than one, and shall be presented to the High Court, or to the Court of Session, or to the High Court of Northern Ireland, depending on whether the constituency to which it relates is in England and Wales, or Scotland or Northern Ireland.
(4)The petition shall be presented by delivering it to the prescribed officer or otherwise dealing with it in the prescribed manner; and the prescribed officer shall send a copy of it to the returning officer of the constituency to which the petition relates, who shall forthwith publish it in that constituency.
(5)The petition shall be served [F2in such] manner as may be prescribed.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 121(1A) inserted (E.W.S.) (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 10, 77, Sch. 1 para. 11; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 paras. 1, 12(a) (subject to transitional provisions in art. 6, Sch. 2) (amendment extended to N.I. (15.9.2014) by The Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1116), arts. 1(1), 2(2))
F2Words in s. 121(5) substituted (16.2.2001) by 2000 c. 41, s. 138(1)(2), Sch. 18 para. 19(3), (with s. 156(6)); S.I. 2001/222, art. 2, Sch. I Pt. I (with Sch. 1 Pt. II)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C10S. 121 applied (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)-(8), Sch. 1 Pt. I
S. 121 applied (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/2250, regs. 2, 3, 5, Sch. 1 Pt. I
C11S. 121 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/1220), art. 3(1)(5)-(8), Sch. 1
S. 121 applied (with modifications) (11.3.1999) by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/787), art. 85(1)-(3), Sch. 6 Pts. I, II (which S.I. was revoked (21.11.2002 except for specified purposes) by S.I. 2002/2779, arts. 1, 2 (which S.I. was revoked (15.3.2007) by S.I. 2007/937, art. 2(a)))
S. 121 applied (with modifications) (21.11.2002 except for specified purposes) by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/2779), arts. 1, 81, Sch. 6 Pts. I, II (which S.I. was revoked (15.3.2007) by S.I. 2007/937, art. 2(a))
S. 121 applied (with modifications) (15.3.2007 except for specified purposes) by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/937), arts. 1, 83, Sch. 6 Pts. I, II
C12S. 121 applied (with modifications) (1.8.2001) by The Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/2599), art. 3, Sch. 1 (as substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1)
C13S. 121 applied (with modifications) (30.12.2010 except for specified purposes) by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2999), arts. 1(1), 84(2)(3), Sch. 6 Pt. 2 (with art. 1(2)(3))
C14S. 121 applied (with modifications) (30.12.2010 except for specified purposes) by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2999), arts. 1(1), 84(1)(3), Sch. 6 Pt. 1 (with art. 1(2)(3))
C15S. 121 applied (with modifications) (S.) (16.12.2015) by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/425), arts. 1(1), 82(2)(3), Sch. 6 Pt. 2 (with art. 1(2))
C16S. 121 applied (with modifications) (S.) (16.12.2015) by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2015 (S.S.I. 2015/425), arts. 1(1), 82(1)(3), Sch. 6 Pt. 1 (with art. 1(2))