The Board of Deputies has reversed its advice from earlier this week that deputies can nominate multiple candidates for office, amid controversy over next month’s election.

On Monday, just three days before nominations close, deputies were told that they could endorse more than one candidate for president and more than three for the joint vice-presidencies in next month’s poll.

But in fresh advice issued today, Gillian Merron, the Board’s chief executive stated “the constitution is not clear about whether deputies can or cannot nominate multiple candidates, and for which positions, and this needs review.

“Nevertheless, we must be consistent in our processes and so in line with the guidance issued when nominations opened, deputies may only nominate one candidate for president, three for vice-president and one for treasurer, and not multiple candidates. New guidance will be issued to deputies today.”

The guidance issued on Monday was seen as favouring late entrants into the electoral race, in particular Dr Simon Hochhauser, who only announced his bid for the presidency on Sunday.

In an email seen by the JC, the head of the Board’s constitution committee Tony Leifer had earlier called multiple nominations “nonsense”.

The Board explained that Mr Leifer had later changed his mind and believed multiple nominations permissible but by Wednesday had reverted to his original view.

Ms Merron also made clear that all current officers would stand down at the end of May, ending speculation that plans had been afoot to ask current president Jonathan Arkush to remain in office till the end of the year.