(1) If the number of Candidates are two, the Candidate who obtains the largest number of votes shall be declared to have been duly elected. In the event of there being an equality of votes between the two Candidates and the addition of one vote to any one of such Candidates will entitle him to be declared duly elected, the Returning Officer shall drawn for in the presence of the Ward members and the Candidate whose name is drawn shall be deemed to have the additional vote and shall be declared to have been duly elected.
(2) If the number of Candidates are three and if any one them secures more than one half of the total number of votes polled, he shall be declared to have been duly elected. If none of them secures more than one half of the number of votes polled, the Candidate who obtains the smallest number of votes shall be eliminated and a second ballot taken. In the event of there being an equality of votes among the three Candidates, the Returning Officer shall draw lots in the presence of the Ward members present and the Candidates whose names are first and second drawn shall be retained and a second ballot taken.
(3) If there is an equality of votes between two Candidates and if the third Candidate secures a lesser number of votes he shall be eliminated and a second ballot taken. If there is an equality of votes between two Candidates and if the third Candidate secures a larger number of votes than the two, a lot shall be drawn between the two Candidates who had secured equal number of votes and the Candidate whose name is first drawn shall be retained and second ballot taken between him and the third Candidate.
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(4) If the number of Candidates are more than three and if any of the Candidates secures more than one half of the number of votes polled, he shall be declared to have been duly elected. If none of the Candidate secures more than one half of the number of votes polled, the first Candidate who secures the largest number of votes and the second Candidate who secures the next larger number of votes shall be retained and the other Candidates eliminated and a second ballot taken.
(5) In other cases, the principle enunciated in sub-rule (2) above shall be adopted till there remain two Candidates in the field.
89. Duties of the Returning Officer after completion of voting- Immediately after the meeting, the Returning Officer shall-
(a) record the proceedings of the meeting in the minutes book of the District Panchayat or Panchayat Union Council, as the case may be, sign it, attest with his initials every correction made therein, and also permit Ward members presents at the meeting to affix their signatures to such record, if they express their desire to do so;
(b) send a report of the result of the election to the District Election Officer, Director of Rural Development, Government and the State Election Commission and to such other officers or authorities as may be specified by the State Election Commission; and
(c) public a notice signed by him stating the name of the person elected as Chairman of the District Panchayat or Panchayat Union Council, as the case may be, on the notice board of the District Panchayat Office or the Panchayat Union Office concerned;
(d) the Returning Officer shall forward a copy of the notice referred to in the sub-rule (c) above, to the Director of Stationery and Printing, Chennai and the State Election Commission for publication of the name of the elected Candidate as soon as practicable, in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.