Crisis management powers must be exercised by Returning Officer personally
4.—(1) Despite section 23 of the Act, the crisis management powers in these Regulations —
(a)
may only be exercised by the Returning Officer personally; and
(b)
must not be exercised by any Assistant Returning Officer.
(2) To avoid doubt, paragraph (1) does not apply in relation to the performance of the Returning Officer’s functions under the supplementary provisions relating to the exercise of crisis management powers.
Successive exercise of crisis management powers
5.—(1) The exercise of a crisis management power under these Regulations does not prevent —
(a)
the same power from being exercised again as occasion requires; or
(b)
another crisis management power from being exercised as occasion requires.
(2) However, a stage of an election in an electoral division must not be temporarily suspended for more than 2 hours on the same day.
Modification of Act if crisis management powers exercised
6.—(1) Subject to section 102A of the Act and any specific provision in these Regulations, the operation of the Act is to be modified as necessary to give full effect to the exercise of any crisis management power in these Regulations.
(2) In determining what modifications are necessary, regard must be had to —
(a)
the need to conduct safe, orderly, efficient and timely elections in one or more electoral divisions and support the resilience of Singapore’s democracy; and
(b)
the principles of the Act.
(3) This regulation also applies if a crisis management response is carried out under regulation 20.
Exercise of crisis management powers must be publicised
7.—(1) If the Returning Officer exercises any crisis management power in these Regulations, the Returning Officer must as soon as practicable cause a crisis management notice to be published.
(2) The crisis management notice must state —
(a)
the fact that the crisis management power has been exercised; and
(b)
all matters specified in the exercise of that power.
(3) The crisis management notice must be published —
(a)
in the Gazette; or
(b)
if publication in the Gazette is not practicable —
(i)
on the Internet website of the Elections Department at https://www.eld.gov.sg; or
(ii)
in a manner that will secure adequate publicity of the notice to the general public.
(4) This regulation also applies if a crisis management response is carried out under regulation 20.
Directions to presiding officers
8. In carrying out his or her functions under these Regulations, a presiding officer must comply with any general or specific directions given by the Returning Officer.