(1) If at any election,-
(a) any ballot box used at a polling station is unlawfully taken out of the custody of the presiding officer or the Returning officer or is accidentally or intentionally destroyed or lost or is damaged or tampered with, to such an extent, that the result of the poll at that polling station or the ward becomes unascertainable; or
(b) any such error or irregularity in procedure as is likely to vitiate the poll is committed at a polling station;
then the Returning officer shall forthwith report the matter to the State Election Commission.
(2) There upon the State Election Commission shall, after taking all material circumstances into account, either,-
(a) declare the poll at that polling station to be void, appoint a day and fix the hours for taking fresh poll at that polling station and notify the day so appointed and the hours so fixed on the notice board; or
(b) if satisfied that the result of a fresh poll at that polling station shall not, in any way, affect the results of the election of that ward or that the error or irregularity in procedure is not material, issue directions to the Returning officer as he may deem proper for the further conduct and completion of the election.
(3) These rules shall apply to every fresh poll under sub-rule (2) as they apply to the original poll.