Section 52(2) in The Corporation of the City of Panaji (Election) Rules, 2004
(2)The Returning Officer shall reject a ballot paper -(a)if it bears any mark or writing by which the voter can be identified; or(b)if no vote is recorded thereon; or(c)if votes are given on it in favour of more than one candidate; or(d)if the mark indicating the vote thereon is placed in such manner as to make it doubtful to which candidate the vote had been given; or(e)if it is a spurious ballot paper; or(f)if it is so damaged or mutilated that its identity as a genuine ballot paper cannot be established; or(g)if it bears a serial number, or is of a design, different from the serial numbers or, as the case may be, design of the ballot papers authorized for use at the polling station; or(h)if it does not bear the mark which it should have borne under the provisions of sub-rule (1) of rule 35:Provided that-(i)where a Returning Officer is satisfied that any such defect as is mentioned in clause (g) or (h) has been caused by any mistake or failure on the part of the Presiding Officer or the Polling Officer, the ballot paper shall not be rejected merely on the ground of such defect;(ii)a ballot paper shall not be rejected merely on the ground that the mark indicating the vote is indistinct or made more than once, if the intention that the vote shall be for a particular candidate clearly appears from the way the paper is marked.
