(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 12 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.
56. 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 nonattendance 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.
57. If a candidate whose nomination has been found valid on scrutiny under section 43 and who has not withdrawn his candidature under section 44 dies and a report of his death is received before the publication of the list of contesting candidates under section 46 or if a contesting candidate dies and a report of his death is received before the commencement of the poll, the Municipal Returning Officer shall, upon being satisfied of the fact of the death of the candidate, countermand the poll aid report the fact to the Commission and also to the appropriate authority; and all proceedings with reference to the election shall be commenced anew in all respects 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 44 before the countermanding of the poll shall be ineligible for being nominated as a candidate for the election after such countermanding.