Court’s power to require information from election agent or sub-agent
51.—(1) Where on an application under regulation 50 it appears to the court that any person who is or has been an election agent or sub-agent has refused or failed to make such return, or to supply such particulars as will, enable the candidate and his election agent to comply with the provisions of these Regulations as to the return or declarations as to election expenses, the court, before making an order under that regulation, shall order that person to attend before the court.
(2) The court shall on the attendance of that person, unless he shows cause to the contrary, order him—
(a)to make the return and declaration, or
(b)to deliver a statement of the particulars required to be contained in the return,
as the court considers just, within such time, to such person and in such manner as it may direct, or may order him to be examined with respect to the particulars.
(3) If a person fails to comply with any order of the court under this section, the court may order him to pay a fine not exceeding the amount of the maximum fine to which he would be liable if at the time the order is made he were convicted of a summary offence on conviction of which he was liable to a fine of level 5 on the standard scale.
(4) References in this regulation to the election agent or sub-agent include a person authorised in writing by the election agent or any sub-agent to incur election expenses.