Section 68 in Arunachal Pradesh Municipal Elections Act, 2009
68. Destruction, loss, etc., of ballot papers.
(1)If at any time before the counting of votes is completed, any ballot paper used at a polling station or at a place fixed for the poll are unlawfully taken out of the custody of the Presiding Officer or the Municipal Returning Officer or are accidentally or intentionally destroyed or lost or are damaged or tampered with, to such extent that the result of the poll at that polling station or place cannot be ascertained, the Municipal Returning Officer shall forthwith report the matter to the Commission.(2)Thereupon, the Commission shall, after taking all materials circumstances into account, either -(a)direct that the counting of votes shall be stopped, declare the poll at that polling station or place to be void, appoint a day, and fix the hours, for taking a fresh poll at that polling station or place and notify the date so appointed and hours so fixed in such manner as it may deem fit, or.(b)issue such directions to the Municipal Returning Officer as it may deem proper for the resumption and completion of the counting and for the further conduct and completion of the election in relation to which the votes have been counted, provided that the Commission is satisfied that the result of a fresh poll at that polling station or place will not, in any way, affect the result of the election.(3)The provisions of this Act and the rules and the orders made thereunder shall apply to every such fresh poll, as they apply to the original poll.
