{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/parish-and-community-meetings-polls-rules-1987/schedule/paragraph-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/parish-and-community-meetings-polls-rules-1987/schedule/paragraph-18.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1987/1",
  "legislation_title": "The Parish and Community Meetings (Polls) Rules 1987",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/parish-and-community-meetings-polls-rules-1987",
  "path": "schedule/paragraph/18",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "18",
  "heading": "Challenge of voter",
  "text": "(1) If at the time a person applies for a ballot paper for the purpose of voting in person, or after he has applied for a ballot paper for that purpose and before he has left the polling station, a candidate or his polling agent–\n(a) declares to the presiding officer that he has reasonable cause to believe that the applicant has committed an offence of personation, and\n(b) undertakes to substantiate the charge in a court of law,\nthe presiding officer may order a constable to arrest the applicant, and the order of the presiding officer shall be sufficient authority for the constable to do so.\n(2) A person against whom a declaration is made under this rule shall not by reason of it be prevented from voting.\n(3) A person arrested under the provisions of this rule shall be dealt with as a person taken into custody by a constable for an offence without a warrant.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2023/1233",
      "affecting_title": "The Overseas Electors, Postal Vote Handling and Secrecy (Amendment) Rules 2023"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2023/1233",
      "affecting_title": "The Overseas Electors, Postal Vote Handling and Secrecy (Amendment) Rules 2023"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2005/2114",
      "affecting_title": "The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2005"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2010/1172",
      "affecting_title": "The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) (Local and Subordinate Legislation) Order 2010"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2005/2114",
      "affecting_title": "The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2005"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2005/2114",
      "affecting_title": "The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendments to Subordinate Legislation) Order 2005"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
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    {
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      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
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      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
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      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2022/1284",
      "affecting_title": "The Assistance with Voting for Persons with Disabilities (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendments) Rules 2022"
    },
    {
      "type": "words substituted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2020/1355",
      "affecting_title": "The Parish and Community Meetings (Coronavirus) (Polls) (Amendment) (England) Rules 2020"
    },
    {
      "type": "inserted",
      "affecting": "uksi/2020/1355",
      "affecting_title": "The Parish and Community Meetings (Coronavirus) (Polls) (Amendment) (England) Rules 2020"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1987/1/schedule/paragraph/18",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T16:34:31.826079+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."
}