(1) Where elections of members of a special negotiating body fall to be conducted, being elections by employees in the State of the participating company, or as the case may be the participating companies, the management or administrative organs of the participating companies shall arrange for the conducting of those elections in accordance with this Regulation.

(2) The management or administrative organs of the participating companies shall, in consultation with employees or their representatives (or both), appoint one or more persons as returning officers (referred to collectively in this Regulation as the "returning officer"), whose duties include the organisation and conduct of nominations and the election, and any person so appointed may authorise other persons to assist in the performance of those duties.

(3) Where the number of candidates on the nomination day exceeds the number of members to be elected, a poll or polls shall be taken by the returning officer and voting in the poll shall take place by a secret ballot on a day or days to be decided by the returning officer.

(4) The returning officer shall perform the duties of that office in a fair and reasonable manner and in the interests of an orderly and proper conduct of nomination and election procedures.