56.—(1) Where the local returning officer receives a valid postal voting statement without the postal ballot paper (or papers or, as the case may be, all of the papers) to which it relates, the officer may, at any time prior to the close of the poll, check the list kept under paragraph 55(2) to see whether the number (or numbers) of a postal ballot paper to which the statement relates is entered in that list.
(2) Where the local returning officer receives a postal ballot paper without the postal voting statement to which it relates, the officer may, at any time prior to the close of the poll, check the list kept under paragraph 55(3) to see whether the number of that ballot paper is entered in that list.
(3) The local returning officer must conduct the checks required by sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) as soon as practicable after the receipt of the packets from every polling station in, as the case may be, the voting area, parliamentary constituency, F1... electoral area or local authority area.
(4) Where the ballot paper number in the list matches that number on a valid postal voting statement or, as the case may be, the postal ballot paper, the local returning officer must retrieve that statement or paper.
(5) The local returning officer must then take the appropriate steps under this Part of this Schedule as though any document earlier marked “provisionally rejected” had not been so marked and must amend the document accordingly.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Sch. 2 para. 56(3) revoked (31.12.2020) by The European Parliamentary Elections Etc. (Repeal, Revocation, Amendment and Saving Provisions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1310), reg. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. 2 Table (as amended by S.I. 2019/1389, regs. 1, 2(2))