Assistant returning officers

(1) The Election Commission may appoint one or more persons to assist any returning officer in the performance of his functions: Provided that every such person shall be an officer of Government or of a local authority. (2) Every assistant returning officer shall, subject to the control of the returning officer, be competent to perform all or any of the functions of the returning officer: Provided that no assistant returning officer shall perform any of the functions of the returning officer which relate to the scrutiny of nominations unless the returning officer is unavoidably prevented from performing the said function.