Paragraph 54 The count

(1)

The constituency returning officer shall–

(a)

in the presence of the counting agents appointed for the purposes of the election open each ballot box and count and record separately the number of constituency ballot papers there are in each box and the number of regional ballot papers there are in each box;

(b)

in the presence of the election agents appointed for the purposes of the election verify each ballot paper account; and

(c)

count such of the postal ballot papers as have been duly returned and record separately the number of constituency postal ballot papers counted and the number of regional postal ballot papers counted.

(2)

The constituency returning officer shall not count the votes given on any ballot papers until–

(a)

in the case of constituency postal ballot papers, they have been mixed with constituency ballot papers from at least one ballot box;

(b)

in the case of constituency ballot papers from a ballot box, they have been mixed with constituency ballot papers from at least one other ballot box;

(c)

in the case of regional postal ballot papers, they have been mixed with regional ballot papers from at least one ballot box; and

(d)

in the case of regional ballot papers from a ballot box, they have been mixed with regional ballot papers from at least one other ballot box.

(3)

A postal ballot paper shall not be deemed to be duly returned unless it is returned–

(a)

by hand to a polling station in the same constituency;

(b)

by hand or by post to the constituency returning officer,

before the close of the poll and is accompanied by the declaration of identity duly signed and authenticated.

(4)

The constituency returning officer shall not count any tendered ballot paper.

(5)

The constituency returning officer, while counting and recording the number of ballot papers and counting the votes, shall keep the ballot papers with their faces upwards and take all proper precautions for preventing any person from seeing the numbers printed on the back of the papers.

(6)

The constituency returning officer shall verify each ballot paper account by comparing it with the number of ballot papers recorded by him, and the unused and spoilt ballot papers in his possession and the tendered votes list (opening and resealing the packets containing the unused and spoilt ballot papers and the tendered votes list) and shall draw up a statement as to the result of the verification, which any election agent appointed for the purposes of that election may copy.

(7)

The constituency returning officer shall so far as practicable proceed continuously with counting the votes, allowing only time for refreshment, except that he may, in so far as he and the agents appointed for the purpose of that election agree, exclude the hours between 7 in the evening and 9 on the following morning.

For the purposes of this exception the agreement of–

(a)

a candidate for return as a constituency member or his election agent; or

(b)

an individual candidate for return as a regional member or the election agent of such a candidate or the election agent of a registered party standing nominated,

shall be as effective as the agreement of the counting agent of that candidate or, as the case may be, registered party.

(8)

During the time so excluded the constituency returning officer shall–

(a)

place the ballot papers and other documents relating to the election under his own seal and the seals of such of the counting agents as desire to affix their seals; and

(b)

otherwise take proper precautions for the security of the papers and documents.