4. The Returning Officer shall fix the last day on which nomination papers areto be received, and at least 28 clear days before the day so fixed shall cause a notice of the election to be published, specifying the number and description of persons to be elected, the place to which the nomination papers are to be sent, and the last day on which they are to be received. The notice shall be published in 2 or more newspapers circulating in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and shall be, as nearly as may be, in the form marked A in the Appendix to this Scheme.
5.—(1) Each candidate for election shall be nominated on a separate nomination paper signed by not fewer than 6 persons having the requisite qualifications for nominating the candidate. No person may nominate more than the number of persons to be elected.
(2) Each nomination paper shall contain the name, address and registered qualification or qualifications, and other requisite qualifications if any, of the person nominated, and also the addresses and registered qualifications of each person signing such paper, and shall be, as nearly as may be, in the appropriate form marked B(i) or B(ii) in the Appendix to this Scheme.
(3) Every nomination paper shall , before 12 noon on the last day fixed for the receipt of nomination papers, be delivered by post or otherwise to the Returning Officer, General Nursing Council for England and Wales, P.O. Box 803, 23, Portland Place, London, W.1, and shall be accompanied by a declaration in writing, signed by the person nominated, in the form marked C in the Appendix to this Scheme or to the like effect, acknowledging that such person consents to be nominated. Every nomination paper in respect of which any requirement of this Scheme has not been complied with, or which is not received by the Returning Officer before 12 noon on the last day fixed for the receipt of nomination papers, shall be invalid . Provided that no misnomer or inaccurate or incomplete description of any person or place named in any nomination paper shall invalidate that paper if, in the opinion of the Returning Officer, the description of the person or place is such as to be commonly understood.
(4) As soon as possible after the time fixed for the receipt of nomination papers has expired, the Returning Officer shall publish at the offices of the Council a list of the duly nominated candidates and on the same day shall send a copy of this list by registered post to each of them. Before 12 noon on the 7th day from the date of publication of the list, a candidate may withdraw from the poll by delivering by post or otherwise to the Returning Officer a written notice of withdrawal and on receipt thereof the Returning Officer shall expunge the name of such candidate from the list. No notice of withdrawal received after 12 noon on the 7th day shall be valid.
6. The election of the 15 registered general nurses shall be conducted in the following manner.
(1) If the number of duly nominated candidates in respect of any one area does not exceed 1, the Returning Officer shall forthwith declare such candidate to be elected.
