(1) As soon as the poll is closed the Return” ing Officer shall in the presence who may be present proceed to count the votes.
of the contesting candidates and the membets W 189 U.P. KSHETTRA PANCHAYAT & ZILA PANCH AYAT ADHINIYAM, 1961 App.vi e ballot box and sha ll—
(2) The Returning Officer shal l open th s taken out therefrom and re cord it in
(a) count the number of ballot paper a statement; S e, e
(b) scrutinise the ballot papers and separate those which if his opinion are on are invalid endorsing on the latvalid from those which in his opin i 1id € for stich rejections; and ter the word "rejected” with reasons
(c) arrange all the valid ballot papers in parcels according to the first preference recorded for each candidate.
(3) A ballot paper shall be rejected a s invalid on which—
(a) the number 1 is not marked; or
(b) the number 1 is marked opposilt or is so marked as to render it dou tended to apply; or the number 1 and some other numbers are marked opposi te the name e the name of more than one candidate btful to which candidate it is in-
(0) of the same candidate; or
(d) any mark is made by which the voter may afterwards be identified.