After rule 46 insert—

“ Ballot papers in wrong box

46A

(1)

The returning officer may make arrangements for—

(a)

ballot boxes for the parliamentary election to be opened and any ballot papers for the local election to be taken out;

(b)

those ballot papers to be taken into account for the purposes of the local election;

(c)

ballot boxes for the local election to be opened and any ballot papers for the parliamentary election to be taken out;

(d)

those ballot papers to be taken into account for the purposes of the parliamentary election.

(2)

Paragraph (1) applies notwithstanding anything else in these rules or the local elections rules.

(3)

Nothing in these rules or the local elections rules requires the counting agents to be given facilities for overseeing the proceedings mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) or (c).”