82A.—(1) Subject to subsection (3), a credit union may allow in its rules for any member of the credit union entitled to attend and vote at a general meeting of the credit union to be entitled to appoint another person (whether a member or not) F263[as the member’s proxy to attend and vote instead of the member].

(2) A proxy so appointed shall have the same right as the member to speak at the meeting and to vote on a show of hands and on a poll.

(3) Unless the rules of the credit union otherwise provide, a member of a credit union shall not be entitled to appoint more than one proxy to attend on the same occasion.

(4) The instrument appointing a proxy (the "instrument of proxy") shall be in the form provided for in the rules of a credit union and shall be in writing—

(a) under the hand of F263[the appointer or of the appointer’s attorney] duly authorised in writing, or

(b) if the appointer is a body corporate, either under seal of the body corporate or under the hand of an officer or attorney of it duly authorised in writing.

(5) The instrument of proxy and the power of attorney or other authority, if any, under which it is signed, or a notarially certified copy of that power or authority, shall be deposited at the registered office of the credit union concerned or at such other place within the State as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, and shall be so deposited not later than the time specified in subsection (6).

(6) The time referred to in subsection (5) is—

(a) 48 hours (or such lesser period as the rules of the credit union may provide) before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote, or

(b) in the case of a poll, 48 hours (or such lesser period as the rules of the credit union may provide) before the time appointed for the taking of the poll.

(7) The depositing of the instrument of proxy referred to in subsection (5) may, rather than its being effected by sending or delivering the instrument, be effected by communicating the instrument to the credit union by electronic means, and this subsection likewise applies to the depositing of anything else referred to in subsection (5).

(8) If subsection (5) or (6) is not complied with, the instrument of proxy shall not be treated as valid.

(9) Subject to subsection (10), a vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death of the appointer or revocation of the proxy or of the authority under which the proxy was executed.

(10) Subsection (9) does not apply if notice in writing of such death or revocation as is mentioned in that subsection is received by the credit union concerned at its registered office before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the proxy is used.

(11) Subject to subsection (12), if, for the purpose of any meeting of a credit union, invitations to appoint as proxy a person or one of a number of persons specified in the invitations are issued at the credit union’s expense to some only of the members entitled to be sent a notice of the meeting and to vote at it by proxy, any officer of the credit union who knowingly and intentionally authorises or permits their issue in that manner shall be guilty of an offence.

(12) An officer shall not be guilty of an offence under subsection (11) by reason only of the issue to a member, F263[at the member’s request in writing], of a form of appointment naming the proxy or of a list of persons willing to act as proxy if the form or list is available on request in writing to every member entitled to vote at the meeting by proxy.]