47.—(1) The returning officer shall make arrangements for counting the votes in the presence of the counting agents—
(a)in the case of a general election of MEPs, in sufficient time to comply with rule 51(2) before the material time,
(b)in the case of a by-election, as soon as practicable after the close of the poll,
and shall give to the counting agents notice in writing of the time and place at which he will begin to count the votes.
For the purposes of this paragraph “material time” means in relation to a general election of MEPs the close of polling in the Member State whose electors are the last to vote in the election.
(2) No person other than—
(a)the returning officer and his clerks,
(b)the candidates and their spouses,
(c)the election agents,
(d)the counting agents,
(e)representatives of the Electoral Commission,
may be present at the counting of the votes, unless permitted by the returning officer to attend.
(3) A person not entitled to attend at the counting of the votes shall not be permitted to do so by the returning officer unless he—
(a)is satisfied that the efficient counting of the votes will not be impeded; and
(b)has either consulted the election agents or thought it impracticable to do so.
(4) The returning officer shall give the counting agents all such reasonable facilities for overseeing the proceedings, and all such information with respect to them, as he can give them consistently with the orderly conduct of the proceedings and the discharge of his duties in connection with them.