(1) At the close of the poll the Assistant Returning Officer or Returning Officer who opens the ballot box is to ¾

(a) cause the envelopes with postal votes, absent votes or provisional votes to be separated from the other ballot papers contained in the ballot boxes; and

(b) cause the envelopes to be sorted into their respective districts or regions.

(2) If the ballot box is opened by an Assistant Returning Officer, the Assistant Returning Officer is to forward the envelopes ¾

(a) to the Returning Officer for the district or region as the case requires; or

(b) if so directed by the Electoral Commissioner or the Returning Officer for the district or region as the case requires, to the Electoral Commissioner,

by any means approved by the Electoral Commissioner.