The Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (Amendment) Order 2009

Statutory Instruments

2009 No. 3014

Northern Ireland

The Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (Amendment) Order 2009

Made

17th November 2009

Coming into force in accordance with Article 1(2)

At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 17th day of November 2009

Present,

The Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty in Council

In accordance with section 7(3) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(1) the Electoral Commission has been consulted prior to this Order being laid before Parliament.

In accordance with section 84(4) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998(2) a draft of this Order has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.

Accordingly, Her Majesty, in exercise of the powers conferred on her by section 84(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to order as follows:

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (Amendment) Order 2009.

(2) This Order shall come into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

Amendment of four-year cycle for preparation of draft polling station schemes

2.—(1) The next draft polling station scheme prepared under section 65 of the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland)1962(3) (polling station schemes) is to be prepared in 2010 (and not 2009).

(2) Accordingly, in section 65(1A) (which provides for the preparation of a draft polling station scheme every four years commencing 1973), for “the year 1973” there is substituted “the year 2010”.

Judith Simpson

Clerk of the Privy Council

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

Under the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 a draft polling station scheme must be prepared by the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland at four-yearly intervals commencing 1973.  This Order provides that the next draft polling station scheme is to be prepared in 2010 rather than 2009 and amends section 65 so that the four-year cycle commences again in 2010.

(1)

2000 c.41.

(2)

1998 c. 47; section 84 was amended by the Elections Act 2001 (c.7).

(3)

1962 c. 14 (N.I.); section 65 was amended, and subsection (1A) was inserted, by S.I. 1972/1264 (N.I. 13); it was then amended by S.I. 1972/1998 (N.I. 21). It was this latter Order that substituted in subsection (1A) the year 1973 for 1972.