(1)On the date appointed for scrutiny of the nominations, the candidate, and one other person duly authorized in writing by each candidate, may attend at such time and place as may be specified under rule 19. The Returning Officer may, however, admit such other persons as he thinks fit to assist him. He shall give such persons all reasonable facilities to examine the nomination papers of all the candidates, which have been received as aforesaid. (2) The Returning Officer shall examine the nomination papers and shall decide on all objections, which may be made at the time to any nomination and may, either on such objection or on his own motion after such summary inquiry as he thinks necessary, reject any nomination on any of the following grounds, namely:-(a)that the candidate is ineligible for election as a member of that particular category of the Board;(b)that the candidate incurred any of the disqualifications specified in section 16 or these rules;(c)that the name of the candidate is not entered in the electoral rolls;(d)that the candidate has failed to comply with any of the provisions of rule 17; or(e)that the signature /thumb impression of the candidate in the nomination paper is not genuine:Provided that the nomination of a candidate shall not be rejected merely on the ground of an incorrect description of his name or of any other particulars relating to the candidate as entered in the electoral roll, if the identity of the candidate is otherwise established beyond reasonable doubt.(3)The Returning Officer shall endorse on each nomination paper, his decision, accepting or rejecting the same and, if the nomination paper is rejected, he shall, record a brief statement of his reasons for such rejection. The scrutiny shall, as far as practicable, be completed on the date appointed in this behalf and no adjournment of the proceedings shall ordinarily be permissible, except at the discretion of the Returning Officer, to provide an opportunity to a candidate to rebut any contention raised against his candidature.(4)For the purposes of this rule, a certified copy of an entry in the electoral roll for the time being in force of any of the categories of member of the Board shall be conclusive evidence of the fact that the person referred to in that entry is an elector for that category of member of the Board, unless it is proved that he is subject to any disqualification mentioned in the Act or these rules.(5)Immediately after the nomination papers have been scrutinized and the decisions, accepting or rejecting the same have been recorded, the Returning Officer shall prepare a list of nominations found valid under each category and display it on the notice board of his office in Form HPWB-VIII.
