Opening of ballot boxes from overseas polling stations
36.—(1) Section 49(4) of the Act (opening of ballot boxes) does not apply in relation to the counting of votes cast at overseas polling stations and by the postal voting method.
(2) Without affecting section 56C(1) of the Act and before starting the counting of any votes cast in overseas polling stations, the Returning Officer or a person authorised by him or her must, at the counting place for overseas votes and in the presence of such of the candidates and their counting agents as are in attendance, carry out the following:
(a)
arrange all the ballot boxes received according to their overseas polling stations;
(b)
subject to paragraph (3), open every ballot box from each overseas polling station that is received;
(c)
take all the ballot papers out from the opened ballot boxes.
(3) The Returning Officer must not open any ballot box from an overseas polling station that reaches the custody of the Returning Officer in Singapore after the deadline specified in section 56D(3) of the Act.