Section 51(2) in Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporations (Conduct of Election of Members, Election Expenses and Election Petitions) Rules, 2005
(2)The Returning Officer shall reject a ballot paper if ;(a)it bears any mark or writing by which the voter can be identified, or(b)to indicate the vote, it bears a mark made otherwise than with the instrument supplied for the purpose, or(c)votes are given on it in favour of more than one candidate, or(d)the mark indicating the votes thereon is placed in such manner as to make it doubtful to which candidate the vote has been given, or(e)it is a spurious ballot paper; or(f)it is so damaged or mutilated that its identify as a genuine ballot paper cannot be established; or(g)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 authorised for use at the particular polling station; or(h)does not bear the mark which it should have borne under the provisions of sub-rule (1) of Rule 19:Provided that where the Returning Officer is satisfied that any such defect as is mentioned in clause (g) or clause (h) has been caused by any mistake or failure on the part of the Presiding Officer or polling officer the ballot paper shall not be rejected merely on the ground of such defect.Provided further that the 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.
