153Commission may audit claims

153 Commission may audit claims

(1)  The Commission may audit claims under this Part.

(2)  A person who is or was a party agent, registered party or Assembly Member must assist the Commission by –

(a) giving the Commission full and free access at all reasonable times to all accounts, records, documents and papers of the agent by whom the claim is to be lodged, and of the party or Assembly Member, as the case may require, relating directly or indirectly to the expenditure referred to in the claim; and

(b) giving the Commission all information and explanations that the Commission reasonably requests in respect of the expenditure referred to in the claim.

Penalty:  Fine not exceeding 200 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, or both.

(3)  The Commission may appoint an auditor to audit claims under this Part.

(4)  For the purposes of subsection (3) , the auditor has and may exercise the same functions as the Commission has under this section in relation to an audit of claims under this Part.

(5)  An audit under this section is to be conducted in the manner, if any, prescribed in the regulations.