(1) If at any election, the proceedings at any polling station provided under section 19 are interrupted or obstructed by any riot or violence, or if at an election it is not possible to take the poll at any polling station on account of any natural calamity or any other sufficient cause, the concerned Presiding Officer or the Returning Officer, as the case may be, shall announce an adjournment of the Adjournment of poll in emergencies.
Fixing time for poll.
Casual Vacancies in the Panchayats and Municipalities.
Eligibility of members of Scheduled Castes to hold seats not reserved for those castes.
poll to a date to be notified later by the Election Commission and where the poll is so adjourned by a Presiding Officer, he shall forthwith inform the concerned Returning officer.
(2) Whenever a poll is adjourned under sub-section (1), the Returning Officer shall immediately report the circumstances to the prescribed authority and the Election Commission and the Returning Officer shall, as soon as may be, with the previous approval of the Election Commission, appoint the day on which the poll shall be taken, and fix the polling station or place at which and the hours during which, the poll shall be taken and shall not count the votes cast at such election until such adjourned poll is completed.
(3) In every such case as aforesaid, the Returning Officer shall notify in such manner, as the Election Commission may direct, the date, place and hours of polling fixed under sub-section (2).