The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2007

Rule 54 (attendance at counting of votes)

17.—(1) For paragraph (1) of rule 54 there shall be substituted the following paragraphs:–

“(1) Where the constituency returning officer at the Scottish parliamentary election discharges the functions specified in paragraph 2 of Schedule 5, he shall make arrangements for discharging the functions under rule 55 (as amended by paragraph 18 of Schedule 5) in the presence of the counting agents appointed for the purposes of the Scottish parliamentary election as soon as practicable after the close of the poll and for thereafter counting the votes at the Scottish parliamentary election in the presence of those agents; and he shall give to those counting agents notice in writing of the time and place at which he will begin to discharge the functions under rule 55 (as so amended).

(1A) Where the constituency returning officer at the Scottish parliamentary election does not discharge the functions specified in paragraph 2 of Schedule 5, he shall make arrangements for counting the votes in the presence of the counting agents as soon as practicable after the delivery of the ballot papers to him by the returning officer who does discharge those functions, and who shall give to those counting agents notice in writing of the time after which he will begin to count the votes if by then he has received the ballot papers and of the place at which that count will take place.”.

(2) In rule 54(2), before “at the counting of the votes” there shall be inserted–

“at the proceedings described in rule 55(1) (as substituted by paragraph 18 of Schedule 5) or”.

(3) In rule 54(3), before “the counting of the votes” there shall be inserted–

“proceedings described in rule 55(1) (as so substituted) or”, and

(4) in rule 54(3)(a) before “the efficient” there shall be inserted–

“the efficient separating of the ballot papers or, as the case may be,”.