54Adjournment of voting

54 Adjournment of voting (1) An authorised officer in charge of a voting centre may adjourn voting at the place on election day if, because of riot, violence, fire, storm, flood or another similar event, it is not practicable to proceed with voting. (2) If the authorised officer is not the returning officer for the election, the authorised officer must immediately notify the returning officer of an adjournment under subregulation (1). (3) The returning officer must decide a day as the day when voting is to resume if the returning officer believes it is not reasonably practicable for a person affected by the adjournment to cast a vote at another voting centre. (4) If it is impracticable to resume the voting at the same voting centre, the returning officer must decide the voting centre where voting may be resumed. (5) The day decided under subregulation (3) must be as soon as practicable and no later than 21 days after the adjournment. (6) The returning officer must, as soon as practicable, give such notice as is reasonable in the circumstances of the adjournment and any decision under subregulation (3) or (4).