Corrupt Practices - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition corrupt-practices

Definition :

Corrupt practices. At elections these are treating, un-due influence, bribery, personation, making a false declaration as to election expenses, and incurring election expenses without the election agent's written authority. See Parliamentary Elections Act, 1868 (31 & 32 Vict. c. 125), s. 3; (English) Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act, 1883 (46 & 47 Vict. c. 51), ss. 1-3, 33 (7); (English) Municipal Corporations Act, 1882; (English) Municipal Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Practices) Act, 1884 (47 & 48 Vict. c. 70), ss. 2, 1 (5); (English) Local Government Acts, 1888 (s. 75) and 1894 (s. 48); (English) Representation of the People Act, 1918, ss. 34, 35, 38 and (English) R. of the P. Act (No. 2), 1922. The (English) Municipal Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Practices) Act,1911, makes it an illegal practice to publish certain false statements concerning a candidate. See also (English) Local Government Act, 1933 (23 & 24 Geo. 5, c. 51), ss. 79 et seq.

Corrupt practices at parliamentary elections are offences punishable by fine or imprisonment, conviction in respect of which disqualifies for membership of the House of Commons and from voting at parlimentary elections or from holding public or judicial office for seven years. Corrupt practices at municipal and local government elections entail similar consequences.

Corrupt practices by or in connection with members of public bodies, such as town councils, county councils, local boards, vestries, etc., are epunishable under the (English) Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act, 1889 (52& 53 Vict. c. 69), by which any member of such body soliciting or receiving, and any person promising or giving any member of such body any advantage as an inducement to do or not to do anything in respect of a transaction in which the public body is concerned, are alike punishable.