Section 50 in Andhra Pradesh Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats (Direct Election of Chairperson) Rules, 1986
50.
(1)If at any election a ballot is unlawfully taken out of the custody of the Election Officer or the Presiding Officer and is in any way tampered with or is either accidentally or intentionally destroyed or lost, or any such error or irregularity in procedure as is likely to vitiate the poll is committed at a polling station or at a place fixed for the poll, the election to which such ballot box relates shall be valid but only in respect of the polling at the polling station or stations at which such ballot box was used and no further:Provided that where a polling station more than one polling booth and any such ballot box as aforesaid was used at any of such polling booths in the elections to which such ballot box relates shall be void but only in respect of the polling at the polling booth at which such box was used and no further:Provided further that if at any election, any such error or irregularity in procedure as is likely to vitiate the poll is committed at a polling station or at a place fixed for the poll, such election shall also be void, but only in respect of the polling at the polling station or place and no further.(2)Whenever the election at any polling station or at any polling booth shall become void under sub-rule (1), the Election Officer shall, as soon as practicable after the act or event causing such violence has come to his knowledge, report the matter to the Election Authority. The Election Authority shall, with the previous approval of the *[State Election Commissioner], appoint a day for taking a fresh polling in such polling station or in such polling booth as the case may be, and fix the hours for the taking of such poll. The votes cast at such election shall be counted along with the votes cast at the original poll.(3)In every such case as aforesaid, the Election Officer shall take fresh poll in such polling station or in such polling booth, as aforesaid on the day so appointed by the Election Authority and shall notify the day so appointed and the hours of polling so fixed in such manner as the *[State Election Commission] may direct and the provisions of the Act and of any rules or orders made thereunder shall apply to every such fresh poll as they apply, to the original poll.
