50. (1) The ballot of a voter at a European election shall consist of a paper (in this Schedule referred to as a “ballot paper”) in the form specified in the Fourth Schedule F87[subject to any modifications which may be provided for in regulations under paragraph 2(b)].

(2) Ballot papers shall be prepared in accordance with the following provisions —

(a) a ballot paper shall contain the names and descriptions of the candidates standing nominated at the election, as shown in their respective nomination papers. The names shall be arranged alphabetically in the order of the surnames, or if there are 2 or more candidates bearing the same surname, in the alphabetical order of their other names or, if their surnames and other names are the same, in such order as shall be determined by lot by the returning officer,

F88[(b) a ballot paper may include a photograph of each candidate and the emblem registered in the Register of Political Parties under Part III of the Electoral Act, 1992, of the candidate's political party in accordance with the requirements prescribed in regulations which may be made by the Minister (and such regulations may provide for the modification of the form of the ballot paper for that purpose),]

(c) the surname of each candidate shall be printed in large capitals, the candidate’ s surname and other name shall be printed in small capitals and the address and occupation, if any, of each candidate as appearing in the relevant nomination paper shall be printed in ordinary characters,

F89[(d) the name of each candidate’s political party, if any, or, if appropriate, the expression “Non-Party” shall be printed in large capitals, and the name of each candidate’s political group or European political party, if any, shall be printed in ordinary characters.]

(e) in case a replacement candidates list has been signed by an officer of such political party pursuant to rule 18(3)(a), and is neither withdrawn nor ruled by the returning officer as being invalid, the entry in relation to any candidate of that party shall include a reference (being a reference referred to in rule 18(7)(a)) to that list,

(f) in case a replacement candidates list has been signed by a non-party candidate pursuant to rule 18(3)(b) , and is neither withdrawn nor ruled by the returning officer as being invalid, the entry in relation to that candidate shall include a reference (being a reference referred to in rule 18(7)(a)) to that list,

(g) the list of candidates shall be arranged either in one continuous column or in two or more columns in such manner (without departing from the alphabetical order) as, in the opinion of the returning officer, is best for marking and counting, but subject to the restriction that the spaces on the ballot paper within which the candidates’ names and descriptions appear shall be the same for each of the candidates,

(h) the ballot papers shall be numbered consecutively on the back and the back of the counterfoil attached to each ballot paper shall bear the same number. The numbers on the ballot papers shall be printed in the smallest characters compatible with legibility and shall be printed on or about the centre of the paper,

(i) apart from things permitted by the form specified in the Fourth Schedule F87[and the modifications which may be provided for in regulations under paragraph (b)], nothing shall appear on the ballot paper except in accordance with these provisions.

F87[(2A) A notice containing a copy of the ballot paper in large print shall be displayed by the presiding officer in the polling station.]

(3) The returning officer shall be responsible for the printing and procuring of a sufficient quantity of ballot papers and it shall be the duty of the said officer to supply as soon as practicable to every local returning officer such number of ballot papers as that officer shall reasonably require.