{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-elections-principal-areas-wales-rules-2021/schedule-2/paragraph-54",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-elections-principal-areas-wales-rules-2021/schedule-2/paragraph-54.json",
  "legislation": "wsi/2021/1459",
  "legislation_title": "The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Wales) Rules 2021",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-elections-principal-areas-wales-rules-2021",
  "path": "schedule/2/paragraph/54",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "54",
  "heading": "Preliminary and general duties where returning officer is co-ordinating returning officer",
  "text": "(1) This rule applies where the returning officer is the co-ordinating returning officer.\n(2) The returning officer must make arrangements for discharging the functions under rule 55 as soon as practicable after the close of the poll.\n(3) The returning officer must give the principal area counting agents and the other counting agents a notice stating the time and place at which the returning officer will begin to discharge the functions under rule 55.\n(4) While counting and recording the number of ballot papers and counting the votes, the returning officer must—\n(a) keep the ballot papers with their faces upwards, and\n(b) take such other precautions as are appropriate for the purpose of preventing any person from seeing the numbers or other unique identifying marks printed on the back of the papers.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Sch. 2 rule 54(3) substituted (9.10.2023) by The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Single Transferable Vote) (Wales) Rules 2023 (S.I. 2023/1064), rules 1(2), 11"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Sch. 2 rule 54 in force at 17.12.2021, see rule 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2021/1459/schedule/2/paragraph/54",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-28T23:08:54.669941+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}