(1)The name of each candidate for the election shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another member of the State Council at the meeting. No member shall propose or second more than one name.(2)If only one candidate has been duly nominated, the Returning Officer shall declare him elected.(3)Any nominated candidate can withdraw before the voting takes place.(4)If the number of candidates duly nominated is more than one, there shall bean election by secret ballot. The Returning Officer shall provide voting papers with the names of the candidates typed. Each voting paper shall bear the signature of the Returning Officer.(5)A voter in giving his vote shall place in his voting paper the mark "X"against the name of the candidate of his choice.The voting paper shall not be signed by the voter and in the event of any erasures, obliteration's or alterations in the voting papers, or of the voting paper purporting to have been signed by the voter, the voting paper shall be deemed to have been defaced and the vote purporting to have been given thereby shall not be taken into account for the purposes of the election. Subject to the provisions of rule 10, the decision of the Returning Officer whether the voting paper has or has not been defaced shall be final.A voting paper shall be invalid on which-(a)the mark "X" is not made, or(b)the mark "X" is set opposite the name of more than one candidate or is so placed as to render it doubtful to which candidate it is intended to apply, or(c)the mark "X" and any other mark or figures are set opposite the name of the same candidate, or(d)there is any mark in writing by which the voter can be identified.(6)The Returning Officer shall count the valid votes immediately after the close of voting in the presence of the candidates or their nominees who may choose to be present.(7)The candidate securing the largest number of votes shall be declared elected by the Returning Officer.In the case of two or more candidates securing an equal number of votes, the Returning Officer shall decide the election by drawing lots.(8)Immediately after the declaration of the result, the Returning Officer shall put the ballot papers used for voting in the election in a separate cover, have the cover closed and sealed with his signature and that of all the contesting candidates if they desire to do so.(9)The result of the election shall be communicated forthwith to the Secretary of the Council and sent to the State Gazette or Gazettes concerned for publication.
