Section 18 in Punjab State Veterinary Council Rules, 1997
18. Scrutiny and counting of votes. [(Section 37 and Section 65(2)(b)].
(1)The Assistant Returning Officers shall conduct the Poll at five different polling stations in the State to be identified by the Returning Officer under rule 17 on the day as is also specified by him.(2)All the Assistant Returning Officers Incharge of various Polling Stations shall, after the close of the polling, carry the sealed ballot box(es) to a place earlier notified by the Returning Officer so that all the votes are collected at one and the same place for counting and declaration of the result by the Returning Officer.(3)The Returning Officer after receipt of all the ballot boxes on a date and time earlier notified by him under the rule 10 shall commence the counting in the presence of the Assistant Returning Officers and the candidates or his representatives if they so desire :Provided that a voter paper shall be invalid if, -(i)it does not bear the Returning Officer's or the Assistant Returning Officer's initials or facsimile signature. (The Returning Officer shall sign the Voting Paper or Ballot Papers to be sent by post and the Assistant Returning Officer concerned would sign the ballot papers for his polling station), or(ii)a voter signs his name on the voting paper, or writes any word on it or makes a mark on it by which it becomes recognisable as his voting paper, or(iii)no vote is recorded thereon, or(iv)it is void for uncertainty of the vote recorded, or(vi)the number of votes recorded thereon exceeds the number to be elected, or(vi)the regarding of the vote has been done at a place other than provided for the purpose :Provided further that if any candidate or his representative makes an objection to the acceptance of a voting paper on the ground that it does not comply with the specified requirements, or to the rejection of voting paper by the Returning Officer, it shall be decided at once by the Returning Officer whose decision thereon shall be final.(4)The scrutiny and counting of votes received by the Returning Officer by post would take place on the same day and place where the counting would commence for votes polled at polling stations. The Returning Officer shall allow the candidates or his authorised agent to be present at the time of opening the outer envelope and counting of the votes :Provided that the voting papers received by post shall be rejected by the Returning Officer, if the same are not in accordance with the instructions containing in Form IV of these rules.
