Additional steps: verification and count carried out at different places
48.—(1) This rule applies where the votes at an election are to be counted at a place other than that at which the procedures for the verification of the ballot paper accounts are carried out.
(2) The returning officer must on completing the procedure under rule 47—
(a)make up into packets the ballot papers and the postal ballot papers for the election and seal them up into containers endorsing on each the description of the voting area to which those ballot papers relate; and
(b)deliver or cause to be delivered to the place at which the counting of the votes is to be carried out—
(i)those containers together with a list of them and of the contents of each, and
(ii)the ballot paper accounts together with a copy of the statement as to the result of their verification.
(3) If the packets are not delivered by the returning officer personally, their delivery must be in accordance with arrangements approved by the combined authority returning officer.
(4) The combined authority returning officer may give a returning officer directions which, once the packets have been delivered to the place where the votes at the election are to be counted, require the returning officer to take specified steps for the carrying out of further specified verification procedures in relation to the ballot papers and other documents relating to the election.
(5) In paragraph (4), “specified” means specified by the combined authority area returning officer in directions given under that paragraph.