47.—(1) A person within paragraph (2) who is present at the completion of the counting (or any re-count) of the votes in a voting area may require the counting officer to have the votes for that area re-counted (or again re-counted), but the counting officer may refuse to do so if in the officer’s opinion the requirement is unreasonable.
(2) The persons within this paragraph are—
(a)referendum agents;
(b)counting agents who, in relation to the count (or re-count), are designated under regulation 23(2).
(3) No step is to be taken on the completion of the counting (or any re-count) of the votes until the persons within paragraph (2) present at its completion have been given a reasonable opportunity to exercise the right conferred by this regulation.
(4) A counting officer may not conduct a re-count once a direction has been given under regulation 49(3)(b).