Election Petition

Election Petition –

1. (1) No election under this Act shall be called in question except by an election petition presented in such manner as may be prescribed to the prescribed authority.
2. (2) An election petition against the return of a candidate at an election or against an election itself shall be presented –
   • (a) in the case of Gram Panchayat, to the Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue);
   • (b) in the case of Janpad Panchayat, to the Collector;
   • (c) in the case of Zila Panchayat, to the Divisional Commissioner; within thirty days from the date of declaration of the result.
3. (3) The election petition shall be heard and disposed of in such manner as may be prescribed.
4. (4) The authority hearing the election petition may in its discretion award costs to be paid by any party to the petition and such costs shall be recoverable as arrears of land revenue.
5. (5) Any person aggrieved by an order of the prescribed authority under sub-section
6. (3) may within thirty days from the date of the order, appeal to the District Judge in the case of Gram Panchayat and Janpad Panchayat and to the High Court in the case of Zila Panchayat.
7. (6) Subject to the provisions of this section, the procedure provided in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (No. 5 of 1908) shall apply to the trial of an election petition.