Section 21 in Haryana Municipal Corporation Election Rules, 1994
21. Election programme and appointment of Returning Officers.
(1)The State Election Commissioner shall frame a programme for elections hereinafter referred to as the "election programme" of a Municipal area.(2)The election programme shall be published at least [5] [Substituted for '10' by Haryana Notification No. 3/8/2004-RI, dated 1.12.2004.] clear days before the first day fixed for making nominations and it shall specify the date or dates on, by or within which -(i)the nomination papers shall be presented :Provided that a period of not less than five days shall be given for presentation of nomination papers;(ii)the list of nomination papers shall be posted;(iii)the nomination papers shall be scrutinised;(iv)[] [Caluse (iv) omitted by Haryana Government Notification No. S.O.123/H. A. 16/1994/Section 32/2007 dated 19.12.2007.](v)[] [Caluse v omitted by Haryana Government Notification No. S.O.123/H. A. 16/1994/Section 32/2007 dated 19.12.2007.](vi)a candidate may withdraw his candidature;(vii)the list of contesting candidates shall be posted;(viii)the list of polling stations shall be posted;(ix)the poll shall be held :Provided that the date of poll shall not be earlier than the [seventh] [Substituted for the words 'tenth' by Haryana Notification No. S.O. 65/H.A. 16/1994/Section 32/2012, dated 31.8.2012.] day after the last date fixed for the withdrawal of candidatures ;(x)the ballot papers shall be counted (here time and place fixed for the purpose shall also be specified; and(xi)the result of election shall be declared.(3)The State Election Commissioner shall authorise the Deputy Commissioner to designate a Returning Officer who shall be an officer of the Government.(4)The Deputy Commissioner may appoint one or more Assistant Returning Officers to assist Returning Officers in the perFormance of his functions.(5)Every Assistant Returning Officer shall, subject to the control of the Returning Officer, be competent to perForm all or any of the functions of the Returning Officer:Provided that no Assistant Returning Officer shall perForm any of the functions of the Returning Officer, which relate to the scrutiny of nomination papers unless the Returning Officer is unavoidably prevented from perForming the said functions.(6)The election programme shall be published atleast ten clear days before the first date for making nominations, by posting a copy of it at the office of the Deputy Commissioner, at the office of the Corporation and at such other conspicuous places in the Municipal areas as may be determined by the Deputy Commissioner in this behalf. The last date for making nomination papers, their scrutiny and withdrawal shall not be a public holiday. If in any case the last date happens to be a public holiday such nominations, scrutiny or withdrawal shall take place on the next succeeding day which is not a public holiday.(7)Subject to the provisions of sub-rule (6) the State Election Commissioner may, by an order, amend, vary or modify the election programme at any time :Provided that unless the State Election Commissioner otherwise directs, no such order shall be deemed to invalidate any proceedings already taken before the date of the order.
