Section 25 in U.P. Zila Panchayats (Election of Adhyaksha and UP-Adhyaksha and Settlement of Election Disputes) Rules, 1994
25. Procedure at the counting.
(1)As soon as the poll is closed the Returning Officer shall in the presence of the contesting candidates and the members who may be present proceed to count the votes.(2)The Returning Officer shall open the ballot box and shall-(a)count the number of ballot papers taken out therefrom and record it in a statement;(b)scrutinize the ballot papers and separate those which in his opinion are valid from those which in his opinion are invalid endorsing on the latter the word "rejected" with reasons for such rejection ; and(c)arrange all the valid ballot papers in parcels according to the first preference recorded for each candidate.(3)A ballot paper shall be rejected as invalid on which-(a)the number 1 is not marked ; or(b)the number 1 is marked opposite the name of more than one candidate or is so marked as to render it doubtful to which candidate it is intended to apply ; or(c)the number 1 and some other numbers are marked opposite the name of the same candidate ; or(d)any mark is made by which the voter may afterwards be identified.
