Section 12(1) in The U.P. Antarim Zila Parishad (Election of Representatives of Gaon Sabhas) Rules, 1961
(1)As soon as the poll is. closed or at a later hour which shall be announced; by the Returning Officer at the time of close of the poll, the Returning Officer shall, in the presence of the candidates and their election agents and the Pradhans who may be present proceed to count the votes in the following manner:(i)The Returning Officer shall open the ballot box and take out therefrom the ballot papers and examine them.(ii)The Returning Officer shall reject a ballot paper if it bears any mark or writing by which the elector can be identified, or if it is a spurious ballot paper, or if it has been so damaged or mutilated that its identity as a genuine ballot paper cannot be established or if votes arc given on it in favour of more candidates than there are seats to be filled or if no votes is recorded thereon.(iii)A vote recorded in a ballot paper shall be rejected if the mark indicating the vote is placed on the ballot paper in such manner as too make it doubtful to which candidate the vote has been given:Provided that where more than one seat is to be filled and a ballot paper has not been rejected under the preceding sub-clause the vote or votes other than the rejected shall be duly counted.(iv)The Returning Officer shall ascertain the number of valid votes cast in favour of each candidate and declare the candidate obtaining the highest number of votes as duly elected : Provided that if two seats if are to be filled then he will be duly elected the two candidates obtaining the highest number of voles.
