76.—(1) In this Part of these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—
“Chief Electoral Officer” means the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland;
“previous MEP” in relation to a vacancy, means the person who was the MEP immediately before the vacancy arose;
“nominating officer” in relation to a registered party, means the person registered as its nominating officer under the 2000 Act in the Northern Ireland register (within the meaning of that Act);
“registered party” means a party registered under that Act in that register; and
“statement of candidates nominated” means the statement of candidates nominated published under rule 13 of the European Parliamentary elections rules.
(2) For the purposes of this Part an MEP (“P”)—
(a)stood as an independent when elected if the statement of candidates nominated for the purposes of the last election for P’s seat showed no description or the description “independent” in respect of P;
(b)stood in the name of a registered party when elected if that statement showed a description of the type mentioned in rule 5(2) of the European Parliamentary elections rules in respect of P;
(c)stood in the name of two or more registered parties when elected if that statement showed a description of the type mentioned in rule 5(4) of the European Parliamentary elections rules in respect of P.
(3) If P is an MEP by virtue of being returned to fill a vacant seat in accordance with this Part, a reference in paragraph (2) to the description in respect of P is a reference to the description in respect of the last MEP returned to fill that seat at an election.
(4) A reference in this Part to a person being disqualified for the office of MEP is a reference to a person being disqualified within the meaning of section 10 of the 2002 Act.]
Textual Amendments
F1Regs. 76-76I substituted for reg. 76 (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The European Parliamentary Elections (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/1175), regs. 1(2), 2