(1)No court shall entertain any proceedings for questioning—
(a)the number of ballot papers or votes cast in a referendum held in pursuance of an order under section 1 as certified by the Chief Counting Officer for the referendum or by a counting officer;
(b)the number of ballot papers or votes cast in a referendum held in pursuance of an order under subsection (2) of section 2 as certified by a person appointed for the purpose in pursuance of an order under subsection (9) of that section,
unless the proceedings are brought in accordance with this section.
(2)The proceedings must be brought by a claim for judicial review.
(3)The court must not give permission for the claim unless the claim form is filed before the end of the period of six weeks starting with the certificate date.
(4)The certificate date is—
(a)the date on which a certificate as to the matters mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b) is given by the Chief Counting Officer, counting officer or other person mentioned in subsection (1)(b);
(b)if there is more than one such certificate in a referendum the date on which the last such certificate is given.