HC Deb 07 June 1976 vol 912 cc547-8W
Rev. Ian Paisley

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by what authority the returning officer in Ballymena wrote to electors informing them that they will not get postal votes at any future election.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

I am informed by the Chief Electoral Officer that the autho- rity is provided under Section 13(3)(c) of the Representation of the People Act 1949 and Regulation 16 of the Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1969. The electors concerned were advised that they could make fresh applications to be treated as absent voters if they considered there were still grounds for being so treated.

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