(1)No election shall be called in question except by an election petition presented in such manner as may be prescribed and before such authority as may be appointed by the Government, from time to time by notification in the Official Gazette.Provided that no person below the rank of assistant District Judge, in case of member of Village Council and District Judge, within the meaning of article 236 of the constitution, in case of member of the General Council, shall be appointed for the purpose.(2)No election shall be called into question except on any one or more of the following grounds; namely.a. That on the date of his election the returned candidate was not qualified or disqualified, to be chosen to fill the seat in the Village Council or the General Council, as the case may be.b. That corrupt practice has been committed by a returned candidate or his election agent or by any other person with the consent of the returned candidate or his election agent.Explanation: - Corrupt practice shall mean any of the corrupt practices specified in section 123 of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 (Central Act 43 of 1951)c. That any nomination has been improperly rejected.d. That the result of the election in so far as it concerns the returned candidate has been materially affected.i. By the improper acceptance of any nomination, orii. By any corrupt practice committed in the interest of the returned candidate by an agent other than his election agent, oriii. By improper reception, refusal or rejection of any vote, oriv. By reception of any vote which is void, orv. By any non-compliance with the provisions of this act, or of any rules or order made there under.(3)At the conclusion of trial of any election petition, the authority appointed under sub-section (1) shall make an order.a. Dismissing the election petition, orb. Declaring the election of all or any of the returned candidates to be void, orc. Declaring the election of all or any of the returned candidates to be void and the petitioner or any other candidate to have been duly elected.(4)If a petitioner, in addition to calling in question the election of a returned candidate, make a declaration that he himself or any other candidate has been duly elected and the authority under sub-section (1) is of the opinion that-a. In fact the petitioner or such other candidate has received the majority votes, orb. But for the votes obtained by the returned candidate by corrupt practice the petitioner or such other candidate would have obtained the majority of the valid votes the authority as aforesaid shall, after declaring the election of the returned candidate to be void, declare the petitioner or such other candidate, as the case may be, to have been duly elected.
