Delivery of ballot papers etc to returning officers
43(1)The counting officer must deliver or cause to be delivered to the returning officer for a relevant election the ballot papers for the relevant election.
(2)The counting officer must also deliver or cause to be delivered to the returning officer—
(a)the ballot paper accounts and the statement as to the result of the verification of the ballot paper accounts for the relevant election;
(b)the packets of unused and spoilt ballot papers for the relevant election;
(c)the packets of tendered ballot papers for the relevant election;
(d)the packets of certificates as to employment on duty on the day of the poll for the relevant election.
(3)If the counting officer has not begun to count the votes given on the referendum ballot papers by the time the statements as to the result of the verification of the ballot paper accounts in relation to all the polls are prepared—
(a)those ballot papers must be sealed into packets, each of which must be endorsed with a description of its contents, and
(b)the packets may not be opened until the counting officer begins dealing with the ballot papers in those packets under paragraph 44(1).
(4)If, in respect of a relevant election, none of the ballot papers have been delivered under sub-paragraph (1) by the time the statements as to the result of the verification of the ballot paper accounts in relation to all the polls are prepared—
(a)the ballot papers for that election must be sealed into packets, each of which must be endorsed with a description of its contents, and
(b)the packets may not be opened until the returning officer begins dealing with the ballot papers in those packets under paragraph 44(3).