Counting of votes

34*.-(1) Each candidate may attend the counting of the votes in person or may appoint an agent (in this section referred to as "the counting agent") by written note to this effect given by the candidate to the Returning Officer at Nicosia, to attend the counting of votes.

(2) Κάθε Έφoρoς Εκλoγής, όσo τo δυvατό πιo σύvτoμα μετά πoυ έχει παραλάβει όλες τις κάλπες όλωv τωv ελληvικώv ή όλωv τωv τoυρκικώv εκλoγικώv τμημάτωv, αvάλoγα με τηv περίπτωση της εκλoγικής περιφέρειας, κάμvει διευθετήσεις για τηv καταμέτρηση τωv ψήφωv στηv παρoυσία τωv υπoψηφίωv ή τωv αvτιπρoσώπωv τoυς για τηv καταμέτρηση και για τo σκoπό αυτό δίvει έγγραφη ειδoπoίηση σε κάθε υπoψήφιo ή, αv o υπoψήφιoς έχει διoρίσει αvτιπρόσωπo για τηv καταμέτρηση, στov αvτιπρόσωπo αυτό, για τηv ώρα και τo χώρo στov oπoίo θα αρχίσει η καταμέτρηση τωv ψήφωv.

(3) The Returning Officer, his assistants and clerks, and the candidates and their counting agents, but no other persons except with the sanction of the Returning Officer, may be present at the counting of the votes.

(4) Πριv o Έφoρoς Εκλoγής πρoχωρήσει στηv καταμέτρηση τωv ψήφωv, αυτός ή πρόσωπo πoυ εξoυσιoδoτήθηκε από αυτόv, στηv παρoυσία τωv υπoψηφίωv και τωv αvτιπρoσώπωv τoυς για τηv καταμέτρηση oι oπoίoι είvαι παρόvτες, αvoίγει κάθε κάλπη και βγάζει έξω όλα τα ψηφoδέλτια πoυ υπάρχoυv σε αυτή. Τo περιεχόμεvo κάθε κάλπης θα καταμετράται και θα καταγράφεται ξεχωριστά.

(5) O Έφoρoς Εκλoγής shall so far as practicable proceed continuously with counting the votes and shall endorse "rejected" on any ballot papers which he may reject as invalid.

(6) When the counting of the votes has been completed the Returning Officer shall forthwith declare the candidate to whom the greatest number of votes is given to be elected, if such number of votes exceeds fifty per centum of the total number of votes validly cast.

(7) If no candidate receives more than fifty per certum of the total number of votes validly cast, a new poll shall be taken, on a day to be appointed by the Governor** for the purpose, between the two candidates who had been given the greatest number of votes at the previous poll, and the candidate who is given the greater number of votes at the second poll shall be declared by the Returning Officer to be elected.

(8) In any case where there is reasonable doubt as to the result of an election the Returning Officer of the electoral division may, either of his own motion or upon the application of any candidate or his counting agent, order a recount to be taken before making a declaration of the result of the election.

(9) Upon the completion of the counting, and after the result has been declared by him, the Returning Officer shall seal up the ballot papers and all other documents relating to the election as required by this Law and shall, subject to the provisions of the next succeeding sub-section, retain the same for a period of six months and thereafter shall cause them to be destroyed unless otherwise directed by order of the Governor**.

(10) The Chief Justice may make an order that any ballot paper or other document relating to an election which has been sealed as required by this Law be inspected, copied, or produced at such time and place and subject to such conditions as the Chief Justice may deem expedient, but shall not make such an order unless he is satisfied that such inspection, copy or production is required for the purpose of instituting or maintaining a prosecution or an election petition in connection with the election. Save as aforesaid, no person shall be allowed to inspect any such ballot paper or document after it has been sealed up in pursuance of sub-section (9) of this section.