{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983/section-170",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983/section-170.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1983/2",
  "legislation_title": "Representation of the People Act 1983",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983",
  "path": "section/170",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "170",
  "heading": "Conviction of illegal practice on charge of corrupt practice etc.",
  "text": "A person charged with a corrupt practice may, if the circumstances warrant such finding, be found guilty of an illegal practice (which offence shall for that purpose be an indictable offence), and a person charged with an illegal practice may be found guilty of that offence notwithstanding that the act constituting the offence amounted to a corrupt practice.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 17(1) substituted (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, s. 8(a), Sch. 1 para. 10; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 170 applied (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/2250, regs. 2, 3, 5, Sch. 1 Pt. IS. 170 applied (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)-(8), Sch. 1 Pt. IS. 170 applied (N.I.) (25.4.1998) by Northern Ireland Negotiations (Referendum) Order 1998 (S.I. 1998/1126), art. 6, Sch. 2S. 170 applied (E.) (27.7.2007) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2089), regs. 8, 11, 13, {Sch. 4 Table 1}"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 170 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/1220), art. 3(1)(b)(5)-(8), Sch. 1S. 170 applied (with modifications) (31.7.1997) by Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Act 1997 (c. 61), s. 3, Sch. 3 para. 13 Table 1S. 170 applied (with modifications) (11.3.1999) by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/787), art. 85(1)-(3), Sch. 6 Pt. I (which S.I. was revoked (21.11.2002 except for specified purposes) by S.I. 2002/2779, arts. 1, 2 (which S.I. was revoked (15.3.2007) by S.I. 2007/937, art. 2(a)))S. 170 applied (with modifications) (2.4.2001) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/1298), regs. 8, 10(4), Sch. 3 Table 2 (subject to regs. 9-12, 15-17, 20, 25)S. 170 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. 170 applied (W.) (24.3.2004) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Wales) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/870), reg. 8, {Sch. 3 Table 2} (which S.I. was revoked (24.7.2008) by S.I. 2008/1848)S. 170 applied (23.7.2004) by The Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendums Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1962), art. 6(2), Sch. 2 Pt. 2S. 170 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"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 170 applied (with modifications) (W.) (24.7.2008) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Wales) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1848), reg. 8, {Sch. 4 para. 1 Table 1}"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "S. 170 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)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C5",
      "text": "S. 170 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))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C6",
      "text": "S. 170 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))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C7",
      "text": "S. 170 applied (with modifications) (E.) (9.2.2012) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums)(England) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/323), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C8",
      "text": "S. 170 applied (with modifications) (18.2.2012) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Council Tax Increases) (England) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/444), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 1 (with reg. 27)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C9",
      "text": "S. 170 applied (with modifications) (25.7.2012) by The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/1917), arts. 1(2), 50(6), Sch. 9 para. 1(5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C10",
      "text": "S. 170 applied (with modifications) (3.8.2012) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2031), regs. 1, 8, 12, 13, Sch. 4 Pt. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C11",
      "text": "S. 170 applied (with modifications) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2031), reg. 17, Sch. 8 Table 1 (as inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2013) by S.I. 2013/798, regs. 1, 7, Sch. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C12",
      "text": "S. 170 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))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C13",
      "text": "S. 170 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))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C14",
      "text": "S. 170 modified (26.2.2016) by The European Union Referendum (Conduct) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/219), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 38 (with Sch. 1 para. 1(3))"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2/section/170",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-07T03:33:48.049414+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}