101.—(1) Any act required or authorised by the Act or these Rules to be done by or to any person in connection with an application for a patent, or any procedure relating to a patent, may be done by or to an agent authorised by that person orally or in writing—
(a)where an agent is appointed when a person starts or joins any proceeding under the Act, once the comptroller has been notified of his appointment in writing; or
(b)where an agent is appointed after a person has started or joined any proceeding under the Act, once Patents Form 51 has been filed in duplicate.
(2) Where an agent has been authorised under paragraph (1), the comptroller may, in any particular case, require the signature or presence of his principal.