The European Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2009

Amendments to the 2004 Regulations

9.  In regulation 9 (rules for European Parliamentary elections and general duty of returning officers and local returning officers), after paragraph 4 insert—

“(4A) A returning officer or a local returning officer for a European Parliamentary election may take such steps as he thinks appropriate to remedy any act or omission on his part, or on the part of a relevant person, which—

(a) arises in connection with any function the returning officer or local returning officer or relevant person has in relation to the election, and

(b) is not in accordance with the European Parliamentary elections rules or other requirements applicable to the election.

(4B) A returning officer or local returning officer may not under paragraph (4A) re-count the votes given at an election after the result has been declared.

(4C) These are the relevant persons—

(a) a registration officer;

(b) a presiding officer;

(c) a person providing goods or services to the returning officer or local returning officer;

(d) a deputy of any person mentioned in sub-paragraphs (a) to (c) or a person appointed to assist, or in the course of his employment assisting, such a person in connection with any function he has in relation to the European Parliamentary election.

(4D) A returning officer or local returning officer for a European Parliamentary election must take such steps as he thinks appropriate to encourage the participation by electors in the electoral process in the area or region for which he acts.

(4E) A returning officer or local returning officer must have regard to any guidance issued by the Electoral Commission for the purposes of paragraph (4D) of this Regulation.”