Section 51 in Andhra Pradesh Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats (Conduct of Election) Rules, 1965
51.
(1)If at any election a ballot box is unlawfully taken out of the custody of the Election Officer or the Presiding Officer and is in any way tampered with or is either accidentally or internationally destroyed or lost, the election to which such ballot box relates shall be void but only in respect of the polling at the polling stations or station at which such ballot box was used and no further:Provided that where a polling station has more than one polling booth and any such ballot box as aforesaid was used at one polling booth, the election to which such ballot box relates shall be void but only in respect of the polling at the polling booth at which such box was used and not further.Provided further that if at any election any such error or irregularity in procedure as is likely to vitiate the poll is committed at the polling station or at a place fixed for the poll, such election shall also be void but only in respect of the polling at the polling station or place and no further.(2)Whenever the election at any polling station or at any polling booth shall become void under sub-rule (1), the Election Officer shall, as soon as practicable after the act or event causing such violence has come to his knowledge, report the matter to the Election Authority. The Election Authority shall, with the previous approval of the State Election Commissioner, appoint a day for the taking of a fresh polling in such polling station or in such polling booth, as the case may be, and fix the hours for the taking of a fresh polling in such polling station or in such polling booth, as the case may be, and fix the hours for the taking of such poll. The votes cast at such election shall be counted along with the votes cast at the original poll.(3)In every such case as aforesaid the Election Officer shall take a fresh poll in such polling station or in such polling booth, as aforesaid, on the day so appointed by the Election Authority and shall notify the day so appointed and the hours of polling so fixed in such manner as the State Election Commissioner may direct and the provisions of the Act and of any rules or orders made thereunder shall apply to every such fresh poll as they apply to the original poll.
