Any person can make a complaint to the Standards Commission where he or she considers that a "specified person", or a person who is a connected person, may
- have done a "specified act";
- contravened a provision of the Ethics Acts or
- contravened a provision of the Electoral Act 1997, as amended (the Electoral Acts).
A specified act is an act made, or an omission done, after the commencement of Section 2 of the 2001 Act (i.e. after 10 December 2001) that is:
- inconsistent with the proper performance by the specified person of the functions of the office or position by reference to which he or she is such a person or with the maintenance of confidence in such performance by the general public, and
- the matter is one of significant public importance.
More information can be found in Section 4 of the Standards Act 2001