Commentary on Sections and Schedules General Elections Section 5: Extraordinary general elections
49.Section 5 provides a mechanism for an extraordinary general election to take place before the next scheduled ordinary general election in certain circumstances.
50.If the Assembly resolves that it should be dissolved (provided Assembly Members representing at least two-thirds of Assembly seats, i.e. 40 Assembly Members voted for the resolution), or if the Assembly fails to nominate an Assembly Member to be the First Minister within the period laid down by section 47 (usually 28 days), then the Secretary of State must propose a date for the holding of an extraordinary general election. Arrangements for the holding of the extraordinary general election are then to be made by Order in Council.
51.If an extraordinary general election is held less than six months before the date on which an ordinary general election would normally be held, that ordinary general election is not to be held. The date of subsequent ordinary general elections would not however be affected, i.e. they would still normally take place on the first Thursday in May at intervals of four years after that in which the ordinary general election which did not take place was due to have been held