Parliamentary Elections Act 1770

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The Parliamentary Elections Act 1770 (also known as the Grenville Act) is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (10 Geo III c. 16). The Act transferred the power of trying election petitions from the House of Commons to the Judiciary. All contested elections were to be considered by a committee of thirteen members selected by ballot. The Act was initially limited to one year, but was extended several times. A bill was passed in 1774 to make it perpetual — by that time five cases had already been tried.