(1) Unauthorized occupation of the polling place shall be considered in the following cases:-
(a) If any person takes possession of the polling station by force or by intimidation or threat, and influences the counting of votes,
(b) If someone does not allow the election officer or staff assigned to count the votes to perform their duty or takes away the ballot papers, ballot boxes or other materials related to the counting of votes in his charge or does other similar actions and affects the counting of votes in such a way that it does not or cannot be carried out in a fair and independent manner. , or
(c) If any person involved in the counting of votes commits an act as per Clause (a) or (b) or if he assists or gives permission to do such act.
(2) In case of unauthorized occupation of the counting place according to sub-section (1), the election officer shall immediately suspend the work of counting the votes and report the same to the Commission immediately.
(3) Upon receipt of the report as per sub-section (2), if the commission deems it necessary to conduct an investigation in relation to such incident, the commission's commissioner or a monitoring team may be appointed to conduct the investigation.
(4) On the basis of the report as per sub-section (2) or on the basis of the report of the commissioner or the monitoring team assigned to investigate as per sub-section (3), if the commission determines that the polling place has been occupied in an unauthorized manner as per sub-section (1), all the ballot papers of the polling station affected by such occupation shall be declared invalid. Will cancel the vote.
(5) In the polling station where the polling has been canceled by the commission according to sub-section (4), the election officer shall immediately publish the notice of the place, date and time of re-voting in the polling station.