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Rh Regulations made for the purposes of any of those Parts; and the competent authority must give effect to all these directions given.

(4) A competent authority must act in the discharge of its functions under this Act impartially, with integrity and professionalism and in a manner that facilitates effective democracy.

(5) A competent authority must not exercise any power under this Act for the purpose of furthering or harming the interests of any particular political party.

Alternate arrangements during election period, etc.

106.—(1) The powers of the Minister under Part 3 cease to be exercisable by the Minister during any of the following periods:
 * (a) an election period;
 * (b) between the day a writ of election is issued under section 24 of the Parliamentary Elections Act 1954 for the purposes of a by-election and ending with the close of polling day at that by-election;
 * (c) between the day a writ of election is issued under section 6 of the Presidential Elections Act 1991 for the purposes of a presidential election and ending with the close of polling day at that presidential election;
 * (d) between the day an order requiring the conduct for a national referendum is issued under any written law and ending with the close of polling day at that national referendum.

(2) The powers of the Minister under Part 3 may, during the election period in subsection (1)(a) and the period in subsection (1)(b), (c) or (d), respectively, be exercised by an alternate authority appointed by the Minister before the start of that period.

(3) At the end of the election period in subsection (1)(a) and the period in subsection (1)(b), (c) or (d), respectively, the alternate authority appointed under subsection (2) by the Minister for that period ceases to have exercisable any powers of the Minister under Part 3.