Division 2 — Authorised persons
Who may be present at overseas polling station
15.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2) and the taking of an oath of secrecy under section 56(1) of the Act, the only persons who may be present at an overseas polling station during the voting hours of the poll for any election or elections are —
(a)the Assistant Returning Officer;
(b)the presiding officers, clerks, interpreters and information officers;
(c)the candidates;
(d)not more than the following polling agents at any time, regardless of the number of polling places within the overseas polling station:
(i)one polling agent for each political party contesting the election or, where the poll is at a general election, the general election; or
(ii)one polling agent for each independent candidate or group of independent candidates, as the case may be, contesting the election or, where the poll is at a general election, the general election,
provided that the polling agent’s name has been notified in accordance with paragraph (2) and regulation 16(4) is complied with;
(e)an overseas elector allotted to vote at that overseas polling station; and
(f)any other person whom the Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officer authorises to be present.
(2)  Before any polling agent of a candidate or group of candidates may be admitted to an overseas polling station, his name and appointment to act as such a polling agent in the overseas polling station must be given in writing to the Returning Officer by either —
(a)the election agent of the relevant independent candidate, or the principal election agent of the relevant group of independent candidates, as the case may be, contesting the election or, where the poll is at a general election, the general election; or
(b)the responsible officer of the relevant political party contesting the election or, where the poll is at a general election, the general election,
no later than 2 clear days before the start of the poll at that overseas polling station.
(3)  Any polling agent who is appointed by the responsible officer of a political party shall, for the purposes of these Regulations, be deemed to be the polling agent of each candidate and each group of candidates standing for that political party.
Polling agents
16.—(1)  A polling agent of a candidate or group of candidates may during the voting hours at an overseas polling station examine the list of overseas electors allotted to vote at that overseas polling station, provided that the polling agent does not delay a voter in casting his vote.
(2)  A polling agent of a candidate or group of candidates shall not use any communications device at an overseas polling station during voting hours of the poll at that overseas polling station.
(3)  The non-attendance of any polling agent of a candidate or group of candidates at an overseas polling station at any time does not in any way invalidate any act or thing done during the absence of the polling agent if the act or thing is otherwise duly done.
(4)  Before a polling agent of a candidate or group of candidates can be admitted to an overseas polling station, the polling agent must deliver to a presiding officer at the overseas polling station his oath of secrecy made under section 56(1) of the Act together with his written appointment from —
(a)the election agent of the relevant independent candidate, or the principal election agent of the relevant group of independent candidates, as the case may be; or
(b)the responsible officer of the relevant political party.