(1) At every election where a poll is taken, each contesting candidate at such election and his election agent shall have a right to be present at any polling stations provided under section 12 for taking of the poll.
(2) A contesting candidate or his election agent may himself do any act or thing which any polling agent or the counting agent of such contesting candidate, polling agent or if appointed, would have been authorized by under this Act to do, or may assist any polling agent or the counting agent of such contesting candidate in doing any such act or thing.
Non attendance of polling or counting agent
56. Where any act or thing is required or authorized by or under this Act to be done in the presence of the polling or counting agents, the non-attendance of any such polling or agent or agents at the time and place appointed for the counting purpose shall not, if the act or thing is otherwise duly done, invalidate the act or thing done.
Death of candidate before poll.
57. If a candidate whose nomination has been found valid on scrutiny under section 43 and who has not withdrawn his candidature under section 44 dies and a report of his death is received before the publication of the list of contesting candidates under section 46 or if a contesting candidate dies and report of his death is received before the commencement of poll, the Municipal Returning Officer shall, upon being satisfied of the fact of death of the candidate,countermand the poll and report the fact to the Commission and also the appropriate authority, and all proceedings with reference to the election shall be commenced a new in all respects as if for a new election:
Provided that no further nomination shall be necessary in the case of a person who was a contesting candidate at the time of the countermanding of the poll:
Provided further that no person who has given a notice of withdrawal of his candidature under subsection (1) of section 44 before the countermanding of the poll shall be ineligible for being nominated as a candidate for the election after such countermanding.
Procedure in contested and uncontested