Inquiries and legal proceedings

The Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities (s. 90.1) gives the Directeur général des élections du Québec the power to inquire, of his own initiative or at the request of another person, into the application of the Act.

The Directeur général des élections du Québec also has the power to institute penal proceedings (s. 647 AERM) for the violations stipulated in the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities. Prescription of legal proceedings occurs one year after the knowledge by the Directeur général des élections du Québec of the perpetration of the offence. However, no legal proceedings may be instituted if more than five years have elapsed since the perpetration of the offence.