Ram Autar Singh Bhadauria v. Ram Gopal Singh

191 ll/\\I t\UTAR Sl:S-Gll BllADAURIA RA:\! t.Gl'AL Sll\GH AND OTHERS _July_ 31, 1975, l\'. R. KRISIL'<A IYER, _R._ S. SARKARIA A:--:D A. ·C. GUPTA; JJ.] _·-Reprt"se11tation_ _of_ _the_ _Pwple_ _.A.ct._ 1951-St"c. 97. lOO(l)(d).(iii)-Cond'uct _of £.l,ction_ _Rule!>"_ _1961-Rule_ _38 _atul_ _55--Genera/ rtcaunr_ _and_ _if!Spcclion_ l~'irch _to_ je. ofl,O)!t;ed-Rtc~inii11atol'y _pleas._ The appellant and respondent no. 1 :i.n<l vther candidates contested the e:IC1:tio11 from U.P. Lc~isiati\·e-Asscmbly Constituency (No. 293), SarsauI. The ~:rpeliant sccw-ed 23626 votes ::ind respondent no. 1 polled 23604. the margin be:mg of 22 \'ores only. - • - - - . Rtspondent no. 1 filed an Ele:tion Petition ·challenging the election of the .ippellant inter al!a on the ground that the rtsuit of the election so far a9 th.: returned candi<latc \l:a'i concerned \\o·a.s materially affected by improper reception and rejection of votes and mistakes in counting. ·It '\Vas alleged that 41 ballot papers were rejedcd on the ground· that the electors.' choice : Vl<K expressed through the jnstrumont meant for the Presiding. Officer· for stamping on the reveriie side of the ballot papers .• The pani:ulars of those ballot papers \Vere given in Schedule annexed to the Election Petition. It was further alleged that some ballot papers v.rcre issued 3long \\:ith the counter foil and y,·ere there· fore rejected. The appellant in his v.Titten statement denied the allcgatie>ns and · ~tatcd that the result of the election· was not materially affected. Respg.ndent ua. 1 did not adduce any e\·idencc in support of bis allegations mentioned abo-1e. but m3de an application before the Jligh Court for scrutiny and recount of the baliot papers. The lligh Court. allo\1;ed the application anJ .directed s;rutin_y acd recount of ballot papers on the follo\\·ing grounds : I J A n c D E (a) The appt"Jlant \\'On by a very smaJI martin ~f :!:! \'Otes. ##### ·" (b) It \\"aS not dhputed that a number of ballot papers \Verc. .n:jcc<.c:d because the rolling staff forgot to detach the counter-foils on a number of b~llot parers. (c) It is. also the admitted case of the panics that a number of ballot papers \\.ere rejected because the voters cast their votes by putting their mark not -with the marlin; instrument is.sued by the Election CommJ'...sion but y,·ith the rr:.arking or 5tJ.mping instrument issued for the use of the Presiding Otli:ers. (J) It is clear from the petition, \~Titte~ st.t.te~C~t·--and recriminatory petition fi!ed by the respondent that both par Jes pleadc<l that there v.·as \\·rong reception, !~ejection and counting of \'Otes. The appellant filed ~to appeal by special leave a;ainst the ·said order of the Appet!a:e Court. AUov.-icg the apre.al, - 1tr.LD·. (1) The returned c•ndiJai:.e had not categorio.;ally and specific•iJly Mlmitted the allet,ations made in the Ekction Petition \\1th regard to the. improper rejection of the ballot papers. [195F-OJ (2) Siace the· .app(llailt did not lldmit thC alle~tionS, the court c·ould Dot dispense v.'ith proof of tho~ facts altogether. [196 .. 1\·CJ (3) The .'\dditional pleas set up in the v;7irten statements vwcre irrelevaat - 1.u auJ beyond the ·scope of the enquiry __ into the alle~i0!13 in tbe EJt.ction l'cti~M fallina und<r s. lOO(l)(d)(iii) of the Repmtnta!loa. o.f the Peof!~ A~t, 1951. Tuescr .-\dJit~oaal plea~ y;·ero in the nature .of rccnmwatory, p1~ 192 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1976] 1 S.C.R. which could not be investigated in thi::i Elecjon Petition. The scope of the A enquiry is limited for the simple reason that what the clause requires to be considered is whether the election of the returned candida"~ has been materially affucted and nothing else. [197C-F'.) (4) The pleas of the returned candidate under s. 97 have to be tried after a declaration has been made under s. 100 of the Act. [197F-0] Tue learned Judge as in error in ordering general inspe~~ion and recount of the total votes polled at the election, merely because in these Additional Pleas the returned candidate also had by way of recrimination, complained of wrong reception and rejection of votes and wrong counting of votes. [198B-CJ The High Court failed to apply its mind to the question, whether if the fa.cts alleged in the petition were assumed to be correct-a _Prima facie_ case for improper rejection of the 50 ballot papers-was made out. Rule 38 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, requires every ballot paper and the counterfoil attached thereto to be stamped on the back by the Presiding Officer with such distinguishing mark _as_ the Election Commission might direct. Rule % requires every elector to whom ballot paper has been issued to maintain secrecy of voting and making a mark on the ballot paper with the instrument supplied B c #### • )..' < for the purpose by the Election Commission. The object of these rules is to secure not only the secrecy of the ballot but also to eliminate chances of sharp practices in the conduct of election. The requirements. are, therefore-, mandatory and a defect arising from their non-observance inexorably entails rejection of the defective ballot paper>. [1980-E; 199G-H] D The High Court had to apply its mind as to whether these facts by themselves were sufficient to attract rule 56. The High Court had also to apply its mind as to whether the facts alleged in the petition, if correct, would fall within the mischief of rule 56. [200B; 202Ao.-B] Times out of number, this_ Court has pointed out that a general scrutiny and recount of the ballot papers should not be lightly ordered. Before making such a11 extraordinary order, the Court must be satisfied that all the material facts have been pleaded and proved and that such a course is imperatively necessary in the interests of justice. In the present case. there Wa'i no fcundation in the petition, for ordering a general recount. Nor could the Additional Plea.."> in the WTitten statement of the returned candidate be taken into account for making an order for general insp~ction of the ballots. [202C~E] The order of the lligh Court was set aside. [20JB] The High Court was directed to decide the questions mentioned in thi'i judgment and, thereafer, diecided the application of the Respondent no. 1 for recount of the specific ballot papers .. [203B~E] CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 783 of 1975. E Appeal by special leave from the judgment and order dated the G 9th April 1975 of the Allahabad High Court in Application No. A. 77 in Election Petition No. 22 of 1974. _R._ _K. Garg,_ S. C. _Agarwa/a and V._ _!._ _Francis,_ for the appellant. _D. Mukherjee_ and _Pramod Swarup,-for_ respondent No. 1. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by H SARKARIA, J. We have already announced our order in this appeal on the 2nd May 1975. We now proceed to give our reasons therefor. RAM AUTAR _v._ RAM GOPAL _(Sarkaria,_ _J.)_ The appellant, Shri Ram Autar Smgh Bhadauria, Respondent No. 1 Chaudhari Ram Gopal Singh and Respondents 2 to 11 contested election, as rival candidates from U. P. Legislative Assembly Constituency (No. 293), Sarsaul. The poll was held on 24-2-1974. The appellant was declared elected. The total number of votes polled was 72735. Out of these, the appellant secured 23626 and Respondent 1, his nearest rival polled 23604, the margin being of 22 vmcs only. Respondent 1 filed an election petition challenging the election of the appellant _inter alia_ on the ground (vide para 9(1) of the petition) that the result of the election so far as the returned candidate was concerned materially affected by improper reception and rejection of votes and mistakes in counting. It was alleged : "para 11 (a). That in a number of polling stations, the instruments supplied to the electors for the purposes of stamping on or near the symbol of the candidate to whom he intends to vote, was seal of Presiding Officer which was meant to be put on the reverse of the ballot papers. Since the electors were supplied these instruments by the Presiding Officer for marking the ballot papers the electors indi· cated their choice by marking in the column of the petitioner with that instrument. There were 41 such ballot papers which were clear votes for the petitioner that were illegally rejected by the Presiding Officer on the ground that the electors' choice was expressed through the instrument meant for the Presiding Officer for stamping on the reverse side of the ballot papers. Particulars of such ballot papers are given in Schedule I attached to the Election Petition. (b) That in a number of polling stations, the electors were issued ballot papers along with the counter-foil. While issuing the ballot papers to the electors, the polling staff deputed there did not detach the counter foil and the electors after putting seal mark put the ballot papers along with the counter foil in the ballot box. It was due to the mistake of the staff deputed at the polling station. The number of some of such ballot papers are-100976, 100977, 100978, 100979, 100980, 100982, 100983 and 100984. These ballot papers clearly indicate the votes for the petitioner but they were megally rejected on the ground that the identity of the elector can be established. The reason on which it was rejected was wholly illegal. The particulars of such ballot papers are given in Schedule II attached to this election **petition."** .... ~·. A B c D F G In his written statement, the successful candidate stated : H "65 ( 1). That the contents of paragraph No. 9 (1) of the Election Petition are not admitted. The result of the election in so far as the answering respondent is; concerned has not been materially affected by any improper reception or 14-L714 Sup. CI/75 194 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1976] 1 S.C.R. rejection, or by wrong arithmetical and clerical mistake in counting of votes and/ or counting and acceptance of void votes in favour of the answering respondent. In fact no improper reception or rejection or arithmetical mistake or any clencal mistake was done in favour of the answering respondent. 16. That the contents of paragraph No. 11 (a) of the petition arc wrong and denied. It is wrong to say that 41 ballot papers mentioned in Schedule I or any ballot paper counted in favour of the respondent No. 1 by marking with the seal of the Presiding Officer. It is admitted that the ballot papers on which unauthorised seal was found were rejected. Some of these rejected ballot papers may be of the petitione1 but most of them were of respondent No. 1 and other contesting candidates. l 7. That the contents of para 11 (b) of the petition and Schedule II are not admitted as stated. Only on one polling station, due to the mistake of the Presiding Officer some ballot papers were issued along with their counter-foils. The counterfoils did contain the name and signature or thumb impression of the voters attached to the ballot paper. In these circumstances such ballot papers were rejected by the Returning Ollicer. It is submitted that such ballot papers were in respect of all the candidates including the respondent No. 1. Further, no such object10n was raised at the time ot counting by the Petitioner or his election agent and _for_ his counting Agent. 56. That no different criteria was adopted by the Returing Officer in the matter of acceptance or rejection of ballot papers and the respondent No. 1 maintains that many ballot papers in which the Electors expressed their choice in favour of the respondent No. I by putting the seal of the Presiding Officer as supplied by the Presiding Officer, were wrongly rejected during the counting by the Returning **Officer."** Respondent l did not adduce any evidence in support of the allegations extracted above. But on 24-2-1975, he made an application before the High Court, praying for scrutiny and recount of the ballot papers. The allegations in para 11 (a) and (b) of the election p•oti:ion were reiterated in the application. The appellant in reply filed a counter-affidavit which was substantially a reproduction of his reply **in** **the** **written** **statc1nent.** The learned Judge of the High Court by his order, dated 9-4-1975, ,,[]owed that apolication and directed scrutiny and recount of ballot papers on the view that : (a) The appellant "was declared to have won by a very small margin of only 22 votes". A B c D E F G H l(AM AUTAR _v._ RAM GOPAL _(Sarkaria,_ _!.)_ 195 A B -n F # ##, **H** ( b) "It is not in dispute that a number of ballot papers were rejected by the Returning Officer as invalid because the polling staff of a particular polling station forgot to detach the counter-foils of a number of ballot papers. As the counter-foils contained the identity of the voters, the ballot papers were rejected for no fault of the voters, but because of negligence or incompetence on the part of the polling staff". ( c) "It is also the admitted case of the parties that a number of ballot papers were rejected because the voters cast their votes by putting their mark not with the marking instrument issued by the Election Commission but with the marking or stamping instrument issued by the Election Commission for the use of the Presiding Officers. This happened because instead of the instrument which the polling staff should have given to a voter to put the mark showing for which candidate he wanted to vote, the polling staff by mistake handed over to the voter the stamp meant for the Presiding Officer. . . . . . . . to affix on the back of the ballot paper." (d) "The petition, the written statement, the recriminatory petition filed by the respondent (now _appellant) and the reply thereto filed by the petitioner would show that this is a case in which both parties have pleaded that there was wrong reception, rejection and **counting of votes."** It is against this order, dated 9-4-75 of the High Court that this appeal has been filed by the returned candidate after obtaining special leave. Having heard learned Counsel on both sides, we are of opinion that the order made by the High Court for a general scrutiny and recount of all the ballot papers cast at the election, was not justified. The returned candidate had not categorically and specifically admitted the allegations made in the election petition with regard to the improper rejection of the ballot-papers. This will be clear from a comparative reading of Paragraph 11 (a) and (b) of the petition and the answers thereto given in the written statement, which have been reproduced above verbatin1. It is to be noted that the reply of l11e returned candidate to the contents of the aforesaid sub-paras (a) and (b) starts with a denial or a non-admission. Such a traverse is then followed by qualified and vague admissions that some ballot-papcrs were rejected because they were not marked with the instrument meant for this purpose, or bore the names or signatures of the voters on the counter-foils that remained attached to them, owing to the mistake of the Presiding Officer. After having thus replied to the petitioner's allegations, the returned candidate said that most of these rojccted 196 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1976] 1 S.C.R. ballots had been cas\ for him and not for the petitioner. This was a counter-assertion which was not, strictly speaking, relevant to the case set up in the petition. A Mr. Mukherjee, learned Counsel for Respondent 1 (election-petitioner) has drawn our attention to the "Additional Pleas" in the writ ten statement of the appellant. According to Counsel it were these pleas. more than anything else, that led to the finding "that this is a B. case in which both parties have pleaded that there was wrong reception. rejection and counting of votes." We will discuss this aspect of the case a little later. At this place it will be sufficient to say that since the returned candidate in his written statement d'd not specifically and fully admit all the facts alleged in Paragraph 11 (a) and (b) of the petition, the Court could not dis-. c pense with proof of those facts altogether. For instance, in reply to the facts alleged in Para 11 (a) of the petition, the returned c~ndidate did not admit that the instrument with which snch rejected ballotpapers were found stamped, was _supplied_ _by_ _the Presiding_ Officer. On the contrary, the reply to sub-para (a) begins with a clear traverse : "that the contents of paragraph No. 11 (a) of the petition are _wrong_ _and denied"._ This denial notwithstanding, the learned Judge appears **n** to have erroneously assumed this fact as admitted by the returned candidate. The parties being at variance ou this material point, this issue o[ fact was required to be proved by the party alleging 1t. Now, we come to the finding of the learned Judge as to the wrong reception and rejection of votes being a common ground between the parties. We have catalogued this finding as ground {b) which is one of the four pillars on which the impugned order rests. This grouna, according _ta_ Mr. Mukherji, draws particulars support from the "Additional Pleas" set up in the written statement. We do not propose to over-burden this judgment by reproducing all that has been stated in Paragraph 47 to 56 of the written statement under the caption "Additional Pleas". Tt will be sufficient to extract some of it by way of sample : "47. That the Returning Officer did not allow any improper acceptance or rejection against the interest o[ the election-petitioner, rather mistakes of improper acceptance and rejection of ballot papers were done against the interests **of** **the** **ans'.vc_dng** **respondent.** 49. That many ballot papers which bore the major portion of the stamp ·mark within the column of the Respondent No. 1 were wrongly rejected by the Returning Officer at the time of counting. SO. That as in the case of the Election-Petitioner. the Ballot Pauers in favour of the Respondent No. 1 with which counterfoils were attacheo were rejected. In case the Hon'ble Court finds that similar ballot papers in favour of E F G **H** ) ##### .. # RA~! AUTAR _v._ RAM GOPAL _(Sarkaria,_ _!.)_ 197 A the election petitioner arc to be accepted, the ballot papers in favour of the Respondent No. 1 in the same condition should also be accepted and counted as valid votes in favour of the Respondent No. I. 51. That many ballot papers containing votes in favour of the Respondent No. 1 ...... were wrongly put in the B bundles of the votes iu favour of the Election Petitioner. 53 ....... That the bundles of ballot gapers in ..... . favour of the Respondent No. 1 in fact contained more than 50 ballot papers and there was thus wrong counting ..... . I say that the Respondent No. 1 filed an application be'C fore the Returning Officer on 27-2-74 but the Returning Officer without considering the submissions made therein rejected it and did not order for recount." D E F G H If we may say so with respect, in taking these Additional Pleas into . account, the learned Judge completely misdirected himself. He overlooked the fact that these Pleas were irrelevant to and beyond the scope of the enquiry into the allegations in_ the election-petition falling under s. 100(1) (d) (jii) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. These "Additional Pleas" were in the nature of recriminatory pleas which could not be investigated in this election petition. As clarified by this Court in _Jabar Singh_ v. _Genda_ _Lal('),_ the scope of the inquiry in a case under s. 100(1) (d) (iii) is to determine whether any votes had been improperly cast in favonr of the returned candidate or any votes had been improperly refused or rejected in regard to any other candidate. These are the only two. matters which would be relevant for deciding whether the election of the returned candidate had been materially affected or not. At such an enquiry the burden is on the petitioner to prove his allegations. In fact s. 97 (1) of the Act has no application to a case falling under s. 100(1) (d) (iii). The scope of the enquiry is limited for the simple reason that what the clause requires to be considered, is, whether the election of the returned candidate has been materially affected and nothing else. It is true that in a composite election petition wherein the petitioner claims not only that the election of the returned candidate is void but also that the petitioner or some other person be declared to have been duly elected, s.97 would also come into play and allow the returned candidate to recriminate and raise counter-pleas in support of his case, "but the pleas of the returned candidate under s. 97 have to be tried _after a declaration has been made under_ s.100 _of the Act._ The first part of the enquiry in regard to the validity of the election of the returned candidate has therefore to be tried within the narrow limits prescribed by s. 100(1 )( d)(iii) and the latter part of the enquiry governed by s. 101 (a) will have to be tried on a broader basis permitting the returned candidate to lead evidence in support of the pleas taken by him in his recriminatory petition; but even in such a case the (!) [ 1964] 6 S. C. R. 54. 198 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1976] 1 s.c.R. enquiry necessary while dealing with the dispute under s. 101 (a) will not be wider if the returned candidate has failed to recriminate and in a case of this type, the duty of the Election Tribunal will not be to count and scrutinise all the votes cast at the election. l\foreovcr, in the instant case, it is a matter of controversy to be decided as to whether the recriminatory petition filed by the appellant is within time or not. The above being the law on the point, it is clear that the learned Judge was in error in ordering general inspection and recount of the total votes polled at the election, merely because in these Additional Picas the returned candidate also had by way of recrimination, complaiiled of wrong reception and rejection of votes and wrong count- _C_ ing of votes. The pleas at this stage could not be investigated even in the recriminatory petition filed by the returned candidate. They were beyond the scope of the enquiry into the petitioner's case which (as set up in Para 11 of the petition) fell under s. 100(1) (d)(iii) of the Act. Further, the High Court did not properly apply its mind to the D question, whether on the facts alleged in Para 11 (a) and (b) of the petition-assuming the same to be correct-a _prima facie_ case for improper rejection of the 50 ballot papers referred to therein, had been made out. In other words, if the defects in these 50 ballot papers were attributable to the mistakes or negligence of the Presiding Officer or his staff, would it take those ballot papers out of the mischief of clauses (a) and (b) of Rule 56(2) of the Conduct of Election Rules, E 1961? Rule 5 6 runs thus : "(1) Subject to such general or special directions, if any, as may be given by Election Commissi'?n in this .behalf, the ballot papers taken out of all boxes used m .a const1tue.ncy shall be mixed together and then arranged m convement bundles and scrutinised. (2) The returning officer shall reject a ballot paper- ( a) if it bears any mark or writing by which the elector can be identified, or F G H (b) (c) (d) if to indicate the vote, it bears no mark at all or b~ars a mark made otherwise than with the instrument supplied for the purpose, or if votes are given on it in favour of more than one candidate, or if the mark indicating the vote thereon is .Placed in such manner as to make it doubtful to which candidate the vote has been given, or A B ###### c D E F G H RAM AUTAR _v._ RAM GOPAL _(Sarkaria,_ J.) 199 (e) if it is a spurious ballot paper, or (f) if it !s so damaged or mutilated that its identity as a genume ballot paper cannot be established, or (g) if it bears a serial number, or is of a design different from the serial numbers, or, as the case may be design, or the ballot papers authorised for use at th~ particular polling station, or (h) if it do~s not bear (both, the mark and the signature) which it should have borne under the provisions of sub-rule (I) of rule 3 8; Provided that where the returning officer is satisfied that any such defect as is mentioned in clause (g) or clause (h) has been caused by any mistake or failure on the part of a Presiding Officer or polling officer, the ballot paper shall not be rejected merely on the ground of such defect ; Provided further that a ballot paper shall not be rejected merely on the ground that the mark indicating the vote is indistinct or made more than once, if the intention that the vote shall be for a particular candidate clearly appears from the way the paper is marked. (3) to (5) : (6) Every ballot paper which is not rejected under this rule shall be counted as one valid vote : ,, Clauses (a) and (b) of Rule 56(2) arc referable to Rule 38 which requires every elector to whom ballot paper has been issued under Rule 38 to maintain secrecy of voting and "to make a mark on tllc ballot paper with the instrument supplied for the purpose on or near the symbol of the candidate for whom he intends to vote." Rule 38 is also relevant. This Rule requires every ballot paper alld the counterfoil attached thereto to be stamped on the back by the Presiding Officer with such distinguishing mark as the Election Commission may direct. Every such ballot paper before it is issued is required to be signed in full on its back by the Presiding Officer. Subrulc (2) requires that at the time of issuing of ballot paper, the Polling Officer shall on its counterfoil record the electoral roll number of the elector and obtain his signature or thumb-impression. - The object of these rules is to secure not only the secrecy of the ballot but also to eliminate chances of sharp practices in the conduct of elections. Their requirements are therefore mandatory, and a defect arising from their non-observance inexorably entails rejection of the defective ballot paper except to the extent covered by the Provi>os to Rule 56(2). 200 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1976] 1 S.C.R. In the case of 41 ballot papers mentioned in para 11 (a), what, happened was that instead of marking those ballot papers with the instrument supplied for this purpose by the Election Commission. tile electors concerned _stamped_ it with the instrument meant to be used exclusively by the Presiding Officer for stamping the counterfoils and oacks of the ballot papers. The Court had to apply its mind as to whether these facts by themselves were sufficient to attract Rule 56 (2) (b) ? This question would further resolve itself into two issnes: lil Was the stamping instrument with which these 41 electors "marked" the ballot papers, given to them by the Presiding Ofiicer er any member of his staff? (ii) If so, could these ballot papers be deemed to have been marked with "the instrument supplied for ihe purpose" within the contemplation of Rules 38 and 56(2) (b)? The first one was ari issue of fact, the determination of which would depend on evidence. The second issue would arise only on proof of the first, and involve the question of interpreting and applying the phrase "instrument supplied for the purpose". This phrase is capable of two interpretations-one narrow and literal, and the other liberal and contextual. Without there being any proof of the fact that the stamping instrument was handed over to the 41 electors by the Presiding Officer /Polling Officer, a final expression of opinion on our part would be academic and premature. It will be sufficient to reiterate that the provisions of Rules 38 and 56(2) (a) and (b) with which we are concerned in this case are mandatory and strict compliance therewith is essential. Once it is established that the fault specified in clauses (a) or (b) of Rule 56(2) has been committed, there is no option left with the Returning Officer but to reject the faulty ballot paper. We would further make it clear that even if any such defect as is mentioned in clauses (a) or (b) of Rule 56 is caused by any mistake or failure on the part of the Returning Officer or Polling Officer, the Returning Officer would be bound to rejec: the ballot paper on the ground of such defect. That such is the imperative of Ruic 56(2) is clear from the fact that the said clauses {a) and (bl have advisedly been excluded from the first Proviso to Rule 56(21 which gives a limited discretion in the matter of rejection to the Returning Officer only where the defect is of a kind mentioned in clauses (g) and (h) of this sub-rule. A B ###### c D E F In the view that such Rules relating to .the conduct of elections, are _J_ required to be observed strictly, we are fortified by the ratio of this Court's decision in _Hari Vishnu Karnath_ v. _Syed lshaque and ors.(_ _[1 ]_ _)_ In that case, voters for the House of the People in Polling Station> G :~ Nos. 316 and 317 in Sobhapur were given ballot papers with brown bar intended for the State Assembly, instead of ballot papers with green bar which had to be used for the House of the People. The total number of votes so polled was 443, out of which, 62 were in favour of the then appellant, 301 in favour of the first respondent therein and the remaining in favour of the other candidates. Ruic 47(1l(c) of the Conduct of the Election Rules, 1951 provided that H "a ballot paper contained in a ballot-box shall be rejected if it bears ~~[l955J~~ ~~IS. C.~~ R. 1104, **A** **B** **c** **D** **E** RAM AUTAR _v._ RAM GOPAL _(Sarkaria,_ _J.)_ 201 any serial number or mark different from the serial number or marks of ballot papers authorised for use at the polling station or the polling booth at which the ballot-box in which it was found, was used." The election-petitioner contended that in accordance with this rule, the baliot papers received at the two polling stations, not having the requisite mark, should have been excluded. The returned candidate pleaded that the Returning Officer had rightly accepted 301 votes because Rule 47 was directory and not mandatory. It was contended that the electors were not at fault a11d that the wrong ballot papers were issued due to the lapse on the part of the Retmming Officer and that to reject the votes of the electors for the failure of the Polling Officer to deliver the correct ballot papers under Rule 23 would be to disfranchise them, and that a construction which involved such a consequence should not be adopted. This Court repeiled the contention in these terms : "If the word 'shall' is thus to be construed in a mandatory sense in Rule47(1) (a), (b) and (d), it would be proper to construe it in the same sense in Rule **4** 7 ( 1 )( _c)_ also. There is another reason which clinches the matter against the I st respondent. The practical bearing of the distinction between a provision which is mandatory and one which is directory is that while the former must be strictly observed, in the case of the latter it is sufficient that it is substantially complied with. How is this rule to be worked when the Rule provides that a ballot paper shall be rejected ? There can be no degrees of compliance so far as rejection is concerned, and that is conclusive to show that the provision is mandatory." The above observations are apposite. Judged by the guiding· prin.:iple enunciated therein, it can safely be said that the provisions of Rule 56(2) (a) and (b) read with Rule 38, are mandatory and not merely directroy. **F** ·It was contended by the learned Counsel for the respondent before us, that the Provisos to sub-rule (2) of Rule 56 are only illustrative and not exhaustive, and consequently, the principles underlying these Provisos would give a discretion to the Returning Officer not to reject a ballot paper on the ground of a defect caused by mistake or negligence of the Presiding Officer/or Polling Officer, notwithstanding that such defect is one mentioned in clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) **G** and (f) of Rule 56(2). _)_ **H** This contention is not tenable. The word 'shall' used in the openmg part of sub-rule (2) read in the context of the general ~cheme of this Rule shows that it is mandatory. Sub-rule (5) puts the matter beyend doubt. It says that "every ballot paper which is not rejected under this sub-rule shall be counted as one valid vote". Rule 56 is a complete code by itself. The Provisos to Sub-rule (2) are exhaustive f'f the kinds of defects which the Returning Officer may condone, if those defects are caused by the mistake or failure of the Polling Staff. The first Proviso is in terms limited to defects falling under Clause 202 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1976] l S.C.R. (g) or (h). Neither of these Provisos appears to be attracted if the defects is any of the defects mentioned in clauses (a) or ( b). The learned Judge of the High Court has not applied his mind as to whether the facts. alleged in Paragraph 11 (b) of the petition, if correct, would fall within the mischief of clause (d) of Rule 56(2). This will necessarily require consideration of the issue whether there has been an infringement if any of the provisions of Rule 38, referable to clause (a) of Rule 56(2), Another point in this context, for wnsideration will be whether the "counterfoil" can be said to be an integral part of the "ballot paper" so that any writing or marks of identification of the voter on a counterfoil issned to the voter by mistake, is to be deemed to be a defect of the nature mentioned in clause (a) of Rule 56(2). The High Court has not at all addresseu itself to nny of these questions. A ###### _c_ Times out of number, this Court has pointed out that a general scrutiny and recount of the ballot papers should not be lightly ordered. Bcfcrc making such an extraordinary order, the Court must be satisfied that all the material facts have been pleaded and proved and that such a course is imperatively necessary in the interests of justice. In the case. in hand, the allegations in the election petition ( vide Para- J) graph 11) are confined to 41 plus 9, total 50. votes only (vide Paragraph). There was no foundation in the petition for ordering a general recount. Nor could the Additional Pleas in the written statement of the returned candidate be taken into account for making an order for general inspection of the ballots, because investigation of those picas was beyond the scope of the case alleged in Para 11 of the petitioa falling under section 100(1) (d) (iii) of the Act. E We have said enough. We will close the discussion by repeating the note of caution that this Court speaking through V. Krishna Iyer J, recently sounded in _Chanda Singh_ v. _Ch. Shiv_ _Ram(')._ "A democracy runs smooth on the wheels of periodic and pure elections. The verdict at the polls announced by the Returning Officers leads to the formation of Governments. A certain amount of stability in the electora 1 process is essential. If the counting of the ballots arc interfered with by too frequent and flippant recounts by courts a new system is introduced through the judicial instrument. Marcrwer, the secrecy of the ballot which is sacrosanct becomes exposed to deleterious prying, if recount of votes is made easy. The general reaction, if there is judicial relaxation on this issue, may well be a fresh pressure,on luckless candidates, particularly when the winning margin is only of a few hundred votes as here, to ask for a recount Micawberishly looking for numerical good fortune or windfall of chance discovery of illegal rejection or reception of ballots. This may tend to a dangerous disorientation which invades the democratic order by injecting widespread scope for reopen (Il A.LR. 1975 S.C. 403. F G H '- _r_ _..J_ ~ _--(·----_ ' / [/ ] I .... ### A IJ '-~ I _I_ _(_ I c D -"· ' RAM AUTAR _v._ RAM GOPAL _(Sarkaria,_ _!.)_ ing of declared returns, unless the Court restricts recourse 1 o recount to cases of genuine apprehension of miscount or illegality or other compulsions of justice necessitating such a drastic step." In the result we allow the appeal and set aside the order of the lUgb Coort for general scrutiny and recount of the ballot papers. However, the High Court will have to determine, (after taking such evidence as may be necessary) _inter alia,_ (i) whether the instrument which was used for marking the 41 votes (referred to it1 the election petition) was supplied to the voters by the Presiding Officer or any other member of his Polling Staff. If on evidence adduced, the learned Judge finds this issue in the affirmative, the further question to be considered would be (ii) whether such supply would answer the legal requirement of "instrument supplied for the purpase" in Rule 56(2) (b). If both these issues (i) and (ii) are answered in the positive, then and then only he may proceed to inspection and recount of these 41 votes mentioned in the petition. Similarly, after considering the legal questions indicated above, he may order recount of the 9 votes alleged to have counterfoils attached thereto. There appears to be no justification for ordering a general inspection of the ballots on the facts of this case. The learned Judge shall proceed with the trial of the election petition in the light of what has been said above. Costs to abide the event in the High Conrt. P.H.P. _Appeal_ _allowed._