Article 47 Time for sending in and paying claims
Every claim against—
a candidate or his election agent at a constituency election, or
an individual candidate or his election agent at a regional election,
in respect of election expenses which is not sent in to the election agent not later than 21 days after the day on which the result or results of the election are declared shall be barred and not paid.
All election expenses shall be paid not later than 28 days after the day set out in paragraph (1).
Any person who pays a claim in contravention of paragraph (1) or makes a payment in contravention of paragraph (2) shall be guilty of an illegal practice.
Where the election court reports that it has been proved to the court that any payment so made was by an election agent without the sanction or connivance of a candidate at a constituency election or an individual candidate at a regional election—
the candidate’s election shall not be void, nor
shall he be subject to any incapacity under this Order by reason only of that payment having been made in contravention of this article.
In respect of a claim, the payment of which is otherwise barred by paragraph (1)—
a claimant,
a candidate or his election agent at a constituency election, or
an individual candidate or his election agent at a regional election,
may apply to the High Court or to a county court for leave to pay the claim although sent in after the period of 21 days or although sent in to a candidate and not as required to the election agent, and the court on cause shown to their satisfaction may by order grant the leave.
Any sum specified in the order of leave under paragraph (5) may be paid by a candidate or his election agent, and when paid in pursuance of the leave shall not be deemed to be in contravention of paragraph (2).
The jurisdiction vested by paragraph (5) in a county court may be exercised otherwise than in open court.
An appeal lies to the High Court from any order of a county court made by virtue of paragraph (5).