Section 78: Supply of ballot boxes

78. Supply of ballot boxes.— (1) The Returning Officer shall provide each Presiding Officer with such number of ballot boxes as may be necessary. (2) The Commission shall approve the material and design of the ballot boxes. (3) Not more than one ballot box shall be used at a time for the purpose of the poll at any polling station, or where there are more than one polling booths at a polling station, at any polling booth. (4) Before the time fixed for the commencement of the poll, the Presiding Officer shall— (a) ensure that every ballot box to be used is empty; (b) show the empty ballot box to the contesting candidates and their election agents or polling agents whoever may be present, and record their statements in this behalf in the prescribed form and obtain their signatures on the form; (c) after the ballot box has been shown to be empty, close and seal it with his own seal and with the seal of such of the candidates, or their election agents or polling agents as may be present and may desire to put their own seals on it; and (d) place the ballot box so as to be conveniently accessible to the voters, and at the same time within his view and within the view of such candidates or their election agents or polling agents as may be present. (5) If one ballot box is full or cannot further be used for receiving ballot papers, the Presiding Officer shall seal that ballot box with his own seal and with the seals of the candidates or their polling agents who may wish to seal it and keep it in a secure place in the polling station and use another ballot box in the manner laid down in sub-section (4).

Effective date: 2017-10-02

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