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SUBMISSION OF THE ELECTION EXPENSES RETURN
The EBC wishes to advise that section 52 of the Representation of the People Act, Chap. 2:01 of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago (the Act) requires the Election Agent of every candidate who contested an election, to submit to the Chief Election Officer in respect of the candidate “a statement of all payments made by the Election Agent”. The submission is also required to be made by a candidate who acted as his own election agent. However, by section 39 of the Act, persons who contested a City or Borough election, are not required to file such a return.
The return is required to be submitted within forty-two (42) days after the day on which the result of the election was declared by the Returning Officer. In calculating the period within which the return must be submitted, Saturdays and Sundays are counted, while Public Holidays are excluded. The Elections and Boundaries Commission will, by way of public notice in the Press, advise of the last day by which the return relating to a particular election must be submitted. For these recently concluded elections, the deadline date is Tuesday 9th March, 2021. Completed specimen Forms Nos. 3, 4 and 5, which are to be used in the process, are published here for your guidance.
FORM NO. 3
Any person, other than the Election Agent, who incurs expenses on behalf of a candidate, having been authorised in writing by the Election Agent to do so, is required to submit a return relative to such expenses together with a declaration in the Form No. 3 of the Rules. Such return and declaration must be submitted to the Chief Election Officer within twenty-one (21) days after the date of publication of the result of the election.
FORM NO. 4
The “statement of all payments made by the Election Agent” is made in the form set out as Form No. 4 in the Prescribed Forms Rules of the Act (the Rules), and must be accompanied by all relevant bills and receipts.
FORM NO. 5
The return being submitted by an Election Agent must be accompanied by a declaration made by him in the Form No. 5 of the Rules. Additionally, each candidate is also required to submit a similar declaration (Form No. 5) at the same time that the return is being submitted by the Election Agent, or within seven (7) days afterwards. However, where the candidate is out of Trinidad and Tobago when the return is submitted, the declaration must be submitted within fourteen (14) days of his return to the country.
Form No. 5 – Declaration by the Candidate[SPECIMEN]
Form No. 5 – Declaration by the Election Agent [SPECIMEN]
Form No. 5 – Declaration by the Candidate acting as His own Election Agent[SPECIMEN]