Clause 2

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “election”, the following definition:“ “election advertising” means any poster, banner, notice, circular, handbill, illustration, article, advertisement or other material that can reasonably be regarded as intended —

to promote or procure the electoral success at any election for one or more identifiable political parties, candidates or groups of candidates; or

to otherwise enhance the standing of any such political parties, candidates or groups of candidates with the electorate in connection with any election,and such material shall be election advertising even though it can reasonably be regarded as intended to achieve any other purpose as well and even though it does not expressly mention the name of any political party or candidate, but excludes any button, badge, pen, pencil, balloon and any other thing prescribed by the Minister by notification in the Gazette;”;

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “Parliament”, the following definition:“ “political party” means a political party which is registered under the Societies Act (Cap. 311);”;

by inserting, immediately after the definition of “public authority”, the following definition:“ “publish” means make available to the general public, or any section thereof, in whatever form and by whatever means, including broadcasting (by wireless telegraphy or otherwise) and transmitting on what is commonly known as the Internet;”; and

by renumbering the section as subsection (1) of that section, and by inserting immediately thereafter the following subsection:“(2) For the purposes of the definition of “election advertising” in subsection (1) —

the reference to electoral success at any election shall be a reference —

in relation to any political party, to the return at any such election of candidates or groups of candidates standing in the name of the party; and

in relation to candidates or groups of candidates, to their return at any such election;

the reference to the doing of anything mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of that definition shall include doing so by prejudicing the electoral prospects at the election of other political parties, candidates or groups of candidates or (as the case may be) by prejudicing the standing with the electorate of other political parties, candidates or groups of candidates; and

the reference to candidates or groups of candidates shall include any person or group of persons (whether or not a member of any political party) who, on or after the date of the issue of a writ for the election is declared, by himself or others, as seeking nomination as a candidate at that election.”.