(1)The Commission may nominate an Observer to watch the conduct of election or elections in a Panchayat or a group of Panchayats and to perform such other functions as may be entrusted to him by the Commission.(2)The Observer nominated under sub-rule (1) shall have the power to direct the Returning Officer for any Panchayat for which he has been nominated, to stop the counting of votes it any time before the declaration of the result or not to declare the result if in the opinion of the Observer booth capturing has taken place at any polling station of that Panchayat or at the place fixed for counting of votes or any ballot papers used at a polling station are unlawfully taken out of the custody of the Returning Officer accidentally or intentionally destroyed or lost or damaged or tampered with to such an extent that the result of the poll at that polling station cannot be ascertained.(3)Where an observer has directed the Returning Officer under this rule to stop counting of votes or not to declare the result, the observer shall forthwith report the matter to the Commission and thereupon the Commission shall, after taking all material circumstances into account, issue appropriate direction under Rule 72.Explanation. - The expression 'booth capturing' shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 14-1) of the Madhya Pradesh Local Authorities (Electoral Offenses) Act, 1964 ]
