{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983/section-23",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983/section-23.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/23",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "23",
  "heading": "Rules for parliamentary elections.",
  "text": "(1) The proceedings at a parliamentary election shall be conducted in accordance with the parliamentary elections rules in Schedule 1 to this Act.\n(2) It is the returning officer’s general duty at a parliamentary election to do all such acts and things as may be necessary for effectually conducting the election in the manner provided by those parliamentary elections rules.\n(3) No parliamentary election shall be declared invalid by reason of any act or omission by the returning officer or any other person in breach of his official duty in connection with the election or otherwise of the parliamentary elections rules if it appears to the tribunal having cognizance of the question that—\n(a) the election was so conducted as to be substantially in accordance with the law as to elections; and\n(b) the act or omission did not affect its result.",
  "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. 23 applied (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/2250, regs. 2, 3, 5, Sch. 1 Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 23 applied (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)–(8), Sch. 1 Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 23 applied (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by S.I. 1996/1220, art. 3(1)(b)(5)-(8), Sch. 1S. 23 applied (N.I.) (25.4.1998) by S.I. 1998/1126, art. 6, Sch. 2S. 23 applied (with modifications) (1.8.2001) by S.I. 2001/2599, art. 3, Sch. 1 (as substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2/section/23",
    "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."
}