Section 14 in The M.P. Zila Yojna Samiti Nirvachan Niyam, 1995
14. Recording of votes etc.
(1)Every elected member from the Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats shall be supplied with a ballot paper in Forms 2-A, 2-B and 2-C respectively while elected members of rural area shall be supplied with a Ballot Paper in Form 2-D on which the names of all the respective candidates shall be typed or legibly written in Hindi in Devnagri script in alphabetical order and shall be assigned a serial number.(2)The presiding officer shall affix his signature and seal on each ballot paper so as to indicate its authenticity.(3)Each elected members shall then in the order prescribed by the presiding officer proceed to the place set apart for voting and there affix the mark "X" on the ballot paper against the names of candidates for who he wishes to vote. Each elected member of the Zila Panchayat, Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats shall have votes equal to the number of member to be elected from the Zila Panchayat, Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and the Nagar Panchayats respectively. He shall then fold up the ballot paper so as to maintain the secrecy of the ballot and deposit the same in the ballot box in the view of the presiding officer and other members.(4)If owing to illiteracy or any physical infirmity an elected member is unable to record his vote, the presiding officer shall render him such assistance as may be necessary to enable him to record his vote in secrecy.(5)The Presiding Officer shall cause such arrangements to be made as will ensure the secrecy of the ballot.(6)Immediately after the voting is over, the presiding officer shall open in the presence of the elected members presents, the ballot box, take out ballot papers therefrom, count them and record under his hand and seal the total number thereof, the number of valid votes secured by each contesting candidate in Form-3.(7)A ballot paper shall be invalid if,-(a)it bears the signature of the elected members or contains any word, sign or visible representation by which he can be identified; or(b)marks are placed against the number of candidates in excess of the number of seats to be filled in; or(c)the marks is so placed as to make it doubtful for which candidate the vote was given; or(d)no mark is placed thereon; or(e)it does not bear the signature or the seal of the presiding officer.(8)The Presiding Officer shall then under his hand and seal record in the statement referred to in sub-rule (6), the names of the candidates who have secured the highest number of valid votes in descending order and declare them to be elected as per the number of seats vacant.(9)In the event of there being an equality of votes between the candidates, the presiding officer shall draw lots in the presence of elected members and the candidates whose name is first drawn shall be declared to have been duly elected.
