Presidential Elections Act, 1993

Retention and disposal of documents.

54.—(1) On the completion of the counting of the votes in a constituency, the local returning officer for the constituency shall place in separate sealed packets—

(a) the counted ballot papers,

(b) the ballot papers not counted because of invalidity at the counting of the votes,

(c) the unused and spoilt ballot papers, and

(d) the counterfoils of ballot papers issued at polling stations,

and shall mark on each packet particulars of its contents, the date of the polling day at the presidential election concerned and the constituency to which they relate.

(2) The local returning officer shall also place in separate sealed packets—

(a) the marked copies of the register of electors used at polling stations,

(b) the ballot paper accounts and the statement referred to in section 114 of the Act of 1992 (as applied by section 47 ), and

(c) any authorisations issued by him to electors to vote at other polling stations,

and shall mark on each packet particulars of its contents, the date of the polling day at the presidential election and the constituency to which they relate.

(3) The local returning officer shall as soon as practicable, forward to the presidential returning officer the packets referred to in subsections (1) and (2) together with the packets and statement referred to in sections 76 and 83(2) (other than paragraph (e) of that subsection) of the Act of 1992 (as applied by sections 40 and 41 , respectively).

(4) The documents sent to the presidential returning officer in pursuance of this section shall be retained by that officer for 6 months from the date of the poll at the election concerned. At the expiration of the said period, the presidential returning officer shall, unless otherwise directed by an order of the High Court or he has reason to believe that the documents may be required for a purpose referred to in section 55 (3), cause the documents to be destroyed.