Purdah

Purdah is the pre-election period in the United Kingdom, specifically the time between an announced election and the final election results. The time period prevents central and local government from making announcements about any new or controversial government initiatives (such as modernisation initiatives or administrative and legislative changes) which could be seen to be advantageous to any candidates or parties in the forthcoming election. Where actual advantage to candidates is proven in law based on precedent cases to have been given this amounts to a breach of Section 2 of the Local Government Act 1986.At its weakest, the time period brings a moral commitment for executive officers not unless ordered by elected representatives to enter into any transactions or carry out any works which would conflict with the stated intentional commitments (manifesto) of the cabinet or shadow cabinet and possibly other candidates.

Key Dates: 

Purdah                                                                               30/03/2015

Deadline for Registering to vote-on-line:                        30/04/2015

The Election                                                                      07/05/2015

The name itself comes from the Persian word "pardeh" meaning "curtain" or "veil", describing the ensuring of women's modesty from the world of men. In the British political context, the word refers to the non-promoted condition of the policies of government during a "purdah" period.