(1) The ballot papers taken out of each ballot boxl electronic voting machine shall be arranged in convenient bundles and scrutinised.
(2) The Municipal Returning Officer shall reject a ballot paper-
(a) if votes are given on it in favour of more than one candidate; or
(b) if it bears any mark or writing by which the voter can be identified; or
(c) if no vote is recorded thereon; or
(d) if he/she mark indicating the vote thereon is placed in such manner as to make it doubtful to which candidate, the vote has been given; or
(e) if it is spurious ballot paper; or
(f) if it is so damaged or mutilated that its identity as a genuine ballot paper cannot be established; or
(g) if it bears a different serial number, or is different from design of the ballot paper authorised for use at the polling station; or
(h) if it does not bear the mark which it should have borne under the provisions of sub-rule (2) of rule 49 :
Provided that where the Municipal 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.
(3) Before rejecting any ballot paper under sub-rule (2) the Municipal Returning Officer shall allow each counting agent present reasonable opportunity to inspect the ballot paper but shall not allow him/her to handle it or any other ballot papers.
(4) The Municipal Returning Officer shall record on every ballot paper to which rejects, the letter "R" and the ground of rejection in abbreviated form either in his own hand or by means of rubber stamp.
(5) All ballot papers rejected under this rule shall be bundled together.