Section 79(2) in Himachal Pradesh Municipal Election Rules, 2015
(2)The Returning Officer shall reject a ballot paper if-(a)votes are given on it in favour of more than one candidate; or(b)it bears any mark or writing by which the voter can be identified; or(c)no vote is recorded thereon; or(d)the mark indicating the vote thereon is placed in such a manner as to make it doubtful to which candidate, the vote has been given; or(e)it is spurious ballot paper; or(f)it is so damaged or mutilated that its identity as a genuine ballot paper cannot be established; or(g)it bears a different serial number, or is different from design of the ballot paper authorized for use at the polling station; or(h)it does not bear the mark which it should have born under the provisions of sub-rule (2) of rule 67:Provided that where the Returning Officer is satisfied that any such defect as is monitored in clauses (g) and (h) has been caused by any mistake or failure on the part of a Presiding Officer or Polling Officer, the ballot paper shall not be rejected merely on the ground of such defect:Provided further that a ballot paper shall not be rejected merely on the ground that the mark indicating the vote is distinct or made more than once, if the intention that the vote shall be for a particular candidate clearly appears from the way the ballot paper is marked.
