4.—(1) Schedule 5 to the 1962 Act (local elections rules) is amended as follows.
(2) In rule 5(3)(1) (requirements for description on candidate’s nomination paper)—
(a)omit “(of not more than 6 words in length)”, and
(b)after “rule 5A(1)” insert “or (1B)”.
(3) In rule 5A (nomination papers: name of registered political party)—
(a)after paragraph (1) insert—
“(1A) The description that may be authorised may be—
(a)the name of the party registered in the Northern Ireland register under section 28 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(2), or
(b)a description of the party registered in the Northern Ireland register under section 28A of that Act.
(1B) A nomination paper may not include a description of a candidate which is likely to lead voters to associate the candidate with two or more registered political parties unless the parties are each qualifying parties in relation to the district electoral area and the description is a registered description authorised by a certificate—
(a)issued by or on behalf of the registered nominating officer of each of the parties, and
(b)received by the returning officer before the last time for delivery of nomination papers.
(1C) For the purpose of paragraph (1B), a description is a registered description if it is a description registered in the Northern Ireland register for use by the parties under section 28B of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.”,
(b)in paragraph (2), after “paragraph (1)” insert “or (1B)”, and
(c)in paragraph (3), after sub-paragraph (b) insert—
“(c)a name or description is registered under section 28, 28A or 28B of that Act if it is registered under that section at the relevant time.”.
(4) In rule 10(3A)(3) (decisions as to the validity of nomination papers) after “rule 5A(1)” insert “or (1B)”.
1962 c. 14 (N.I.); the Local Elections Rules were substituted in their entirety by Schedule 1 to the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (S.I. 1985/454) and have been amended on a number of occasions since then. Rule 5 was amended by and rule 5A inserted by S.I. 2001/417.
2000 c. 41; section 28 was amended by article 4 of, and the Schedule to, S.I. 2004/366 and section 48 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22) and sections 28A and 28B (see below) were inserted by section 49 of that Act.
Rule 10 was amended by S.I. 2001/417.