(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 station provided under section 19 for the 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. if appointed, would have been authorised by or 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.
52. Where any act or thing is required or authorised by or under this Act to be done in the presence of the polling or counting agents, the non-attendance of any such agent or agents at the time and place appointed for the purpose, shall not, if the act or thing is otherwise duly done, invalidate the act or thing done.
CHAPTER IX GENERAL PROCEDURE AT ELECTION
53. If a candidate whose nomination has been found valid on scrutiny under section 41 and who has not withdrawn his candidature under section 42 dies and a report of his death is received before the publication of the list of contesting Death of candidates before poll.
Non-attendance of polling or counting agents.
Attendance of a contesting candidate or his election agent at polling stations, and performance by him of the functions of a polling agent or counting agent.
Functions of polling agents and counting agents.
candidates under section 43, or if a contesting candidate dies and a report of his death is received before the commencement of the poll, the Returning Officer shall, upon being satisfied of the fact of the death of the candidate, countermand the poll and report the fact to the Election Commission and also to the prescribed authority and all proceedings with reference to the election, shall be commenced afresh in all respect 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 sub-section (1) of section 42 before the countermanding of the poll, shall be in-eligible for being nominated as a candidate for the election after such countermanding.