Section 56E

riot or open violence;

the threat of riot or open violence;

storm, tempest, flood or an occurrence of a similar kind;

a health hazard;

a fire or the activation of fire safety equipment (such as sprinklers or alarms); or

any other reason related to the safety of assistants, clerks counting the votes and candidates or their counting agents present in the counting place, or to difficulties in the physical conduct of counting,which has arisen or is likely to arise before or during the counting of votes at that counting place, the Returning Officer may —

temporarily suspend the counting at that counting place for a period or, where counting at that counting place is temporarily suspended under subsection (1A), a further period not exceeding 2 hours, with or without changing the location of that counting place;

adjourn and postpone the counting at that counting place to another day, with or without changing the location of that counting place;

wholly abandon the counting of votes at that counting place if the Returning Officer is satisfied that counting thereat cannot be resumed or completed and that the number of votes to be counted will not affect the result of the election, and in the case of an abandoned recount of votes at that counting place, declare the election results using the results of the first count; or

wholly abandon the counting of votes at that counting place and restart (within 3 months after the dissolution of Parliament in the case of a general election) the polling at all polling stations which are specified under this Act to be counted at that counting place and the counting of the votes cast thereat, if the Returning Officer is satisfied that counting thereat cannot be resumed or completed and that the number of votes to be counted will affect the result of the election.

announce to such of the candidates and their counting agents attending the counting of the votes at the counting place concerned, the temporary suspension, adjournment, postponement or abandonment (as the case may be) of counting of votes at the counting place and where applicable, the date and time on and at which counting of votes at that counting place is to resume or be held in place of the suspended, adjourned, postponed or abandoned count, as the case may be; and

by notice in the Gazette declare the temporary suspension, adjournment, postponement or abandonment (as the case may be) of counting of votes at the counting place concerned and where applicable, specify the date and time on and at which counting of votes at that counting place is to resume or be held in place of the suspended, adjourned, postponed or abandoned count, as the case may be.

all counted ballot papers, uncounted ballot papers and all other documents relating to the counting of votes at the counting place must be sealed up in separate packets and placed in any ballot box or boxes; and

those ballot box or boxes must then be sealed with the seal of the Returning Officer and the seals of such of the candidates or their counting agents as attend and desire to affix their seals.