{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983/schedule-1/paragraph-54",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983/schedule-1/paragraph-54.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1983/2",
  "legislation_title": "Representation of the People Act 1983",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/representation-of-the-people-act-1983",
  "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/54",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "54",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "(1) On the completion of the counting at a contested election the returning officer shall seal up in separate packets the counted and rejected ballot papers.\n(2) The returning officer shall not open the sealed packets of—\n(a) tendered ballot papers,\n(aa) tendered postal ballot papers,\n(b) the completed corresponding number lists,\n(ba) in the case of an election held in England and Wales or Scotland, the completed ballot paper refusal list,\n(c) certificates as to employment on duty on the day of the poll, or\n(d) marked copies of the register of electors (including any marked copy notices issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of this Act) and lists of proxies.\n(3) This rule applies in relation to Northern Ireland as if the reference in paragraph (2)(d) to section 13B(3B) or (3D) were a reference to section 13BA(9).",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rule 54(2) substituted (1.1.2007 for E.W.S. and 1.7.2008 for N.I.) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 31(5), 77; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 14(o) (subject to transitional provisions in art. 6, Sch. 2); S.I. 2008/1316, arts. 2, 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rule 54(2)(aa) inserted (15.9.2014) by The Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1116), arts. 1(1), 3(10)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rule 54(2)(ba) inserted (E.W.S.) (16.1.2023) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(1), Sch. 1 para. 27; S.I. 2022/1401, reg. 2(d)(xiii) (with reg. 3(1))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rule 54(3) inserted (14.5.2008) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 30(1), 31, Sch. 4 para. 6(10); S.I. 2008/1318, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rules 54–57, 60 applied with modifications (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/2250, regs. 2, 3, 5, Sch. 1 Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rules 54–57, 60 applied with modifications (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)–(8), Sch. 1 Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rule 54 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by S.I. 1996/1220, art. 3(1)(b)(5)-(8), Sch. 1Sch. 1 rule 54 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (25.4.1998) by S.I. 1998/1126, art. 6, Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "Sch. 1 rule 54 applied (with modifications) (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 61, s. 3, Sch. 3 para. 13 Table 2Sch. 1 rule 54 applied (with modifications) (1.8.2001) by S.I. 2001/2599, art. 3, Sch. 1 (as substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "repealed",
      "affecting": "ukpga/2006/22",
      "affecting_title": "Electoral Administration Act 2006"
    },
    {
      "type": "modified",
      "affecting": "ukpga/1985/50",
      "affecting_title": "Representation of the People Act 1985"
    },
    {
      "type": "modified",
      "affecting": "ukpga/1985/50",
      "affecting_title": "Representation of the People Act 1985"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2/schedule/1/paragraph/54",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-07T03:33:48.049414+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."
}