The Greater London Authority Elections Rules 2000

Decisions as to validity of nomination papers

10.—(1) Where an individual candidate’s nomination paper (“individual nomination paper”) and his consent to it are delivered and a deposit is made in accordance with these Rules, the candidate shall be deemed to stand nominated unless and until—

(a)the GLRO decides that the nomination paper is invalid, or

(b)proof is given to the GLRO’s satisfaction of the candidate’s death, or

(c)the candidate withdraws.

(2) The GLRO is entitled to hold an individual nomination paper invalid only on one of the following grounds—

(a)that the particulars of the candidate or the witness signing the paper are not as required by law; and

(b)that the paper is not witnessed as so required.

(3) Where a party list and the consent of each candidate included in that list are delivered and a deposit is made in accordance with these Rules, that party and (subject to paragraph (5)) each candidate on its list shall be deemed to stand nominated unless and until the GLRO decides that the list is invalid.

(4) The GLRO is entitled to hold a party list invalid only on one of the following grounds—

(a)that the name stated under paragraph (2) of rule 7 breaches that rule;

(b)that the number of candidates on the list is greater than 25;

(c)that the list does not contain the statement referred to in rule 7(5).

(5) Where, in respect of a candidate included in a party list—

(a)proof is given to the GLRO’s satisfaction of his death;

(b)he withdraws or his candidature is withdrawn in accordance with rule 13;

(c)his particulars in that list are not as required by law; or

(d)the consent to nomination of that candidate is not delivered in accordance with rule 8,

the GLRO shall delete the name and address of that candidate from the list.

(6) As soon as practicable after each nomination paper has been delivered, the GLRO shall examine it and decide whether the individual candidate or, as the case may be, each candidate included in a party’s list has been validly nominated.

(7) where the GLRO decides—

(a)that an individual nomination paper is invalid he shall endorse and sign on the paper the fact and the reasons for his decision;

(b)that a party list is invalid or the name and address of a list candidate shall be deleted from the list, he shall endorse and sign on the list that fact and the reasons for his decision.

(8) The GLRO shall, as soon as practicable after making such a decision as is mentioned in paragraph (6) or (7), send notice of it—

(a)to the candidate at his home address as given in his nomination paper, and

(b)in the case of a list candidate, also to the nominating officer.

(9) The GLRO’s decision that a nomination paper or a party list is valid shall be final and shall not be questioned in any proceeding whatsoever.

(10) Subject to paragraph (9), nothing in this rule prevents the validity of a nomination being questioned on an election petition.