Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951

This Act shall be known as the Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951, and shall come into operation on a date to be fixed by the Governor-General by proclamation in the Gazette. The Act shall apply to all voters in the Union of South Africa, and shall govern the representation of voters in the House of Assembly. The provisions of this Act shall supersede any inconsistent provisions of the South Africa Act, 1909. The Act shall be administered by the Minister of the Interior.

For the purposes of this Act, the term 'voter' shall mean any person whose name is registered on the voters' roll, and who is qualified to vote at an election of members of the House of Assembly. The term 'coloured voter' shall mean any person who is a member of the coloured population, as defined in the Population Registration Act, 1950. The term 'Indian voter' shall mean any person who is a member of the Indian population, as defined in the said Act.

The voters' roll shall be compiled and maintained by the Registrar of Voters, and shall contain the names of all persons who are qualified to vote at an election of members of the House of Assembly. The voters' roll shall be divided into separate lists for white, coloured, and Indian voters, and each list shall contain the names of voters who are qualified to vote for a particular electoral division. The Registrar shall ensure that the voters' roll is accurate and up-to-date.

No person who is not a white person shall be entitled to vote at an election of members of the House of Assembly, unless such person is registered on a separate voters' roll for coloured or Indian voters. The Minister of the Interior may, by notice in the Gazette, designate any electoral division as a division in which coloured or Indian voters may vote. The notice shall specify the date on which the designation shall take effect, and shall be published at least 30 days before the date of the election.

Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Registrar of Voters or the Minister of the Interior under this Act may appeal to the Supreme Court. The appeal shall be lodged within 30 days of the decision, and shall be heard and determined as soon as possible. The Court may confirm, vary, or set aside the decision, and may make such order as it thinks fit.