Section 164 in The Mizoram Autonomous District Council (Constitution and Conduct of Business of the District Councils) Rules, 1974
164. Procedure to be followed at the counting of votes.
- On the day and the time appointed under Rule 162 the Returning Officer shall, before he comments to count the votes, read the provisions of Rule 199 to such person as may be present and shall then proceed as follows:(a)All the ballot boxes allotted to a particular candidate shall be separated from those allotted to any other candidate and numbered and placed together, and the counting of all the ballot papers contained in the boxes allotted to the same candidate shall be completed before the counting of the ballot papers contained in the boxes allotted to any other candidate is commenced. The Returning Officer or a person authorised by him shall distribute ballot papers in convenient bundles to the persons appointed to assist in the counting of votes.(b)When the ballot papers have been so distributed but not before the Returning Officer shall allow the candidates and their election agents or representatives as may be present, reasonable opportunity to inspect without handling the ballot papers, and shall on every paper which is rejected endorse the word "rejected". If any candidate or his agent or representative present questions on the correctness of the rejection, he shall also record on the ballot paper the ground for the rejection.(c)The Returning Officer shall, as far as practicable, proceed continuously, with the counting of the votes, and shall during any necessary intervals during which the counting has to be suspended, place the ballot papers, packers and other documents relating to the election under his own seal and the seal of such candidates or election agents as may desire to affix them; and shall cause adequate precautions to be taken for their custody.(d)After the counting of ballot papers contained in all the ballot boxes has been completed, the Returning Officer shall record the number of the ballot papers contained in the ballot boxes allotted to each candidate in a statement in which he shall also show the number of votes received by each candidates in accordance with the provisions of Rule 159 (a) (ii) and shall seal in a separate packet all the ballot papers in support of each candidate.
