Crisis management response if ballot box lost or destroyed after close of poll
20.—(1)  The Returning Officer must carry out the crisis management response in paragraph (2) if one or more sealed ballot boxes containing votes cast at a polling station for an election in an electoral division are lost or destroyed at any time —
(a)after the close of the poll at the polling station; and
(b)before the ballot box reaches the counting place specified in respect of the polling station.
(2)  The Returning Officer must —
(a)wholly abandon the counting of all votes cast at the affected polling station for the election in the affected electoral division; and
(b)restart the poll at the affected polling station if the Returning Officer is satisfied that the result of that election could be affected.
(3)  For the purposes of paragraph (2)(b) —
(a)the result of the election in the affected electoral division could be affected if the number of potential votes is equal to or more than the difference between the number of votes given in Singapore to the candidates or groups of candidates (as the case may be) with the 2 greatest number of votes; and
(b)the number of potential votes is taken to be the number of electors who could vote at the election in the affected electoral division at —
(i)the affected polling station;
(ii)any other polling station to which paragraph (1) applies; or
(iii)an overseas polling station.
(4)  If the poll at the affected polling station is restarted as part of the crisis management response in paragraph (2) —
(a)the Returning Officer must specify the date, hours and location for the restarted poll, and the specified date —
(i)must, if the poll is for an election that is a part of a general election, fall within the time delimited by Article 66 of the Constitution for a general election; and
(ii)must not be later than the 56th day after the date of publication of the notice of contested election in the Gazette under section 34(6)(d) or 34A(6)(d) of the Act, as the case may be;
(b)the Returning Officer must postpone the counting of all overseas votes and the pre‑count examination of all postal ballot papers to a specified date, time and location in Singapore; and
(c)if the polling station is in Singapore — the counting of votes cast at the restarted poll is to take place at a date, time and location in Singapore specified by the Returning Officer.