Section 80: Custody and inspection of documents.

(1) The Electoral Officer shall retain for six months all documents relating to an election forwarded to him in accordance with this Act and shall then, unless otherwise ordered by the Local Government Council Election Tribunal, or unless he is aware that legal proceedings are pending in respect of such election cause them to be destroyed.
(2) An order for-
(a) an inspection by production of any rejected ballot papers in the custody of an Electoral Officer; or
(b) the opening of a sealed packet of counterfoils in respect of any counted ballot papers or marked copy of a register of voters or any other packet in the custody of an Electoral Officer,
may be made by the Local Government Council Election Tribunal if the Tribunal is satisfied that the order required is for the purpose of instituting or maintaining a prosecution for an offence in relation to ballot papers or for the purpose of an election petition.
(3) An order for the opening of a packet of counterfoils or for the inspection of any counted or rejected ballot papers in such custody may be made by the Local Government Council Election Tribunal in the course of proceedings in an election petition.
(4) An order under this section may be made subject to such conditions as the Local Government Council Election Tribunal may think expedient.
(5) The documents (other than the documents referred to in subsection (2) of this section) relating to election retained by the Electoral Officer in accordance with subsection (1) of this section shall be open to inspection upon an order made by a Local Government Council Election Tribunal in exercise of its powers to compel the production of documents in legal proceedings but shall not otherwise be open to inspection.