The Indian Medicine Central Council ( Election ) Rules, 1975

G.S.R. 2350, the 14th August, 1975 -
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 4 and Section 35
of the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 (48 of 1970),
the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely.

1. Short title and commencement

(1) These rules may be called the Indian Medicine Central Council (Election) Rules, 1975.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the official Gazette.

2. Definitions

In these rules unless the context otherwise requires :
(a) 'Act' means the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970(48 of 1970) :
(b) 'Form' means a form annexed to these rules;
(c) 'President' means the President of the Central Council of Indian Medicine.
(d) 'Returning Officer' means any officer appointed as such by the Central Government for the purpose of these rules;
(e) 'Section' means a section of the Act.

3. Persons entitled to vote

All persons whose names are enrolled on a State Register of Indian Medicine practitioners of Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani systems of Medicine shall be entitled to vote at the election of members to represent the Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani Systems of Medicine, as the case may be, under Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of Section 3.

4. Posting of copies of State Register of Indian Medicne

(1) Copies of the State Register of Indian Medicine shall be posted at the office of the Returning Officer and of the State concerned.
(2) The register shall be brought up-to-date before posting and for this purpose the Returning Officer shall give one month's notice to the Registrar (by whatever name called) of the Board concerned, who maintains the register in the State.

5. Returning Officer to hold the election

The Returning Officer shall call upon persons enrolled on the State Register of Indian Medicine a practitioner of Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani Systems of Medicine to elect such number or members, as is determined by the Central Government under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of Section 3, to represent Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani System of Medicine, as the case may be.

6. Returning Officer to decide questions relating to right of persons to stand for or to vote as election

If any question arises as to whether a person is or is not entitled to vote in the election or to stand for the election the question shall be referred to the Returning Officer who shall decide the same. [Gazette of India, 1975, Part II, Section 3(I), Page 2534]

7. Fixation of dated of various stages of elections

The Returning Officer shall appoint and shall notify in the Official Gazette and in such other manner as he thinks fit, the date, time and place for;
(a) the receipt of the nomination papers and their scrutiny;
(b) the despatch of voting papers to the electors;
(c) the poll; and
(d) the scrutiny and counting of votes.

8. Nomination of Candidates

Any person qualified to stand for the election under Section 5 may be nominated as a candidate for election and such nomination shall be made by means of a nomination paper in Form I which shall be supplied by the Returning Officer to any elector who may apply for the same.

9. Nomination paper

(1) Each nomination paper shall be subscribed by two electors as proposer and seconder and shall contain a declaration signed by the person proposed signifying his consent to stand for the election.
2[(1A) No elector shall subscribe, whether as proposer or as seconder, more than one nomination paper at the same election, and if he does, his signature shall be inoperative on any paper other than the one first delivered.
(1B)Nothing in this rule shall prevent any candidate from being nominated by more than one nomination paper for the same election.
Provided that not more than four nomination papers shall be presented by or on behalf of any candidate or accepted by the Returning Officer].
(2) On receipt of each nomination paper, the Returning Officer shall forthwith endorse thereupon the date and hour of receipt.

10. Rejection of nomination paper

A nomination paper which is not received before the date and the time appointed in that behalf shall be rejected.

11. Scrutiny of nomination papers

(1) On the date and at the time appointed by the Returning Officer for the scrutiny of the nomination papers, the candidates and the proposer and the seconder of each candidate may attend the office of the Returning Officer, who shall allow them to examine the nomination papers of all the candidate which have been received by him as aforesaid.
3["(2) The Returning Officer shall examine the nomination papers, and shall decide all objections which may be made to any nomination and may, either on such objection or on his own motion, after such summary inquiry, if any, as he thinks necessary, reject any nomination paper on any of the following grounds, namely:-
(a) that on the date appointed for the scrutiny of nomination papers, the candidate does not possess a recognised medical qualification for standing in an election;
(b) that he is not enrolled on the State Register of Indian Medicine and does not reside in the State from which he stands for election'
4(c)* * * * * *
(d) that the nomination paper is not received by the Returning Officer on or before the appointed time and date;
(e) that the signature of the candidate or the proposer or the seconder on the nomination paper is not genuine.
(f) that the signature of the proposer or the seconder is contrary to the provision of sub-rule (1A) of rule 9; and
(g) that the proposer or the seconder is not entitled to vote at such election."].
5* * * * * *

12. Withdrawal of candidature

(1) Any candidate may withdraw his candidature within seven days after the scrutiny of nomination papers of notice in writing signed by him and delivered to the Returning Officer.
(2) A candidate who has withdrawn his candidature shall not be allowed to cancel the withdrawal.
7[3] the Returning Officer shall, on receiving a notice of withdrawal and on being satisfied as to the genuineness of the notice of withdrawal under sub-rule (1), cause the notice to be affixed in some conspicuous place in his office].

13. Poll

(1) Where the number of candidate duly nominated is equal to or less than the number of members to be elected to represent the Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani System of Medicine, as the case may be, from the State concerned, the Returning Officer shall forthwith declare such candidates to be duly elected.

(2) Where the number of such candidates is less than the number of members to be so elected the Returning Officer shall commence fresh proceedings for the election of the remaining members to be elected under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of Section 3.

(3) Where the number of such candidate exceeds the number of members to be elected to represent the Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani System of Medicine as the case may be, from the State concerned, the Returning Officer shall publish their names and addresses in the Official Gazette and shall further cause their names to be entered in the voting papers in Form II.

(4) If a poll is found necessary, the Returning Officer shall, thirty days before the date appointed therefor, send by post to each elector a letter of intimation in Form IV together with a numbered declaration paper in Form III, a voting paper in Form II containing the names of the candidates in alphabetical order and bearing the Returning Officer's initials or facsimile signature, a voting paper cover addressed to him (the Returning Officer) and an outer envelope also addressed to him and a certificate of posting shall be obtained in respect of each such letter of intimation sent to an elector:

Provided that the voting paper and other connected papers may also be sent to any elector on his applying to the Returning Officer for the same before the date appointed for the poll, if the Returning Officer for the same before the date appointed for the poll, if the Returning Officer is satisfied that the papers have not been sent to him.

1["(4A) The Returning Officer shall, after sending to the electors, the voting papers and other connected papers referred to in sub-rule (4), publish an advertisement, in one issue of the daily newspaper in the English language having circulation in the major part of the State and one issue of such daily newspaper in the regional language as the Returning Officer may consider suitable, about the fact of having posted such voting papers and other connected papers at the addresses of the electors as mentioned in the State Register."].

(5) An elector who has not received the voting and other connected papers sent to him by post or who has lost them or in whose case the papers before their return to the Returning Officer have been inadvertently spoilt, may transmit a declaration to that effect signed by himself and request the Returning Officer not later than seven day, before the date appointed for the poll to send him fresh papers and if the papers have been spoilt, the spoilt papers shall be returned to the Returning Officer who shall cancel them on receipt.

(6) In every case, in which fresh papers are issued a mark shall be placed against the number relating to the elector's name in a copy of the State Register of Indian Medicine to denote that fresh papers have been issued.

(7) Each elector shall have as many votes as there are members to be elected from that State to represent the Ayurveda, Siddha or Unani Systems of Medicine, as the case may be, but shall give only one vote to any one candidate.

(8) No election shall be invalid by reason of the non-receipt by an elector of his voting paper.

14. Votes to be sent 2[by Post]

Every elector desirous of recording his vote shall, after filling up the declaration paper and the voting paper according to the directions given in the letter of intimation, enclose the voting paper in the voting paper in the voting paper cover, stick up the cover, enclose the cover and the declaration paper in the outer cover addressed to the Returning Officer and send the outer cover by registered post at the elector's own cost to the Returning Officer or deliver it in person in the office of the Returning Officer so as to reach him not later than 5.00 p.m. on the date fixed for the poll and al envelopes received after the day and hour 3[ * * *] shall be rejected.

15. Endorsement by Returning Officer

On receipt of the envelopes containing the declartion paper and the closed cover containing the voting paper, the Returning Officer shall endorse on the outer envelope the date and hour of receipt.

16. Candidate may be present when 4[Covers] are opened.

(1) The Returning Officer shall open the outer envelopes immediately after 5.00 p.m. on the day fixed for the poll at the place to which the envelopes are addressed to him.

(2) Any candidate may be present in person or may send a representative duly authorised by him in writing to attend at the time the outer envelopes are opened.

17. Rejection of voting papers

(1) A voting paper cover shall be rejected by the Returning Officer, if:-

(a) the outer envelope contains no declaration paper outside the voting paper cover; or
(b) the declaration paper is not the one sent by the Returning Officer to the voter; or
(c) the declaration paper is not signed by the elector; or
(d) the voting paper is placed outside the voting paper cover; or
(e) more than one declaration papers or voting paper cover have been enclosed in one and the same outer envelope; or
(f) The State Registration number is not given by the elector in the declaration paper.

(2) In each case of rejection, the word 'Rejected' shall be endorsed on the voting paper cover,and also on the declaration paper, if any.

(3) After satisfying himself that the electors have affixed their signature to the declaration papers, the Returning Officer shall keep all the declaration papers in safe custody, pending disposal under rule 20.

18. Scrutiny and counting of votes

(1) The Returning Officer shall attend, for the purpose of scrutiny and counting of the votes on the date and at the time and place appointed by him in this behalf:

Provided that the date so appointed shall not be later than three days from the date fixed for the poll.

(2) All the voting paper covers, other than those rejected under rule 17, shall be opened and the voting papers taken out and mixed together and the voting papers shall then be scrutinised and, the valid votes counted.

(3) A voting papers shall be invalid if-

(a) it does not bear the Returning Officer's initials, or facsimile signature; or
(b) the voter signs his the name or writes any word or makes any mark on it, by which it becomes recognizable as his voting paper; or
(c) no vote is recorded thereon; or
(d) the number of votes recorded thereon exceeds the number of seats to be filled; or
(e) there is uncertainty of the vote exercised.

(4) Any candidate may be present in person or may send a representative duly authorised by him in writing to watch the process of counting.

(5) The Returning Officer shall show the voting papers, if requested to do so, to the candidates or their authorised representatives at the time of scrutiny and counting of votes.

(6) If any objection is made to any voting paper on the ground that it does not comply with the specified requirments or to any rejection by the returning officer of a voting paper, it shall be decided atonce by the Returning officer.

(7) The Returning Officer shall nominate such number of scrutinisers, who shal be Gazetted Officers of the Government, as he thinks fit.

19. Declaration of result

(1) When the counting of the votes has been completed, the returning Officer shall draw up a list of candidates in the order of highest votes polled by each candidate and shall declare the result of the successful candidates in the order of the highest vote polled by each and shall declare the result of the successful candidates in the order according to the number of seats to be filled up and shall forthwith inform the successful candidates by post or by hand or in such other manner as he thinks fit, of his being elected to the Council.

1["(2) If, after the counting of the votes is completed, an equality of votes is found to exist between any candidates, and the addition of one vote will entitle any of those candidates to be declared elected, the Returning Officer shall forthwith decide between those candidates by draw of lots and proceed as if the candidate on whom the lot falls had received an additional vote.]

(3 ) When an equality of votes if found to exist among any candidates and there is difficulty in declaring the result, the determination of the person or persons, who shall be deemed to have been elected shall be made by lot to be drawn in the presence of the Returning Officer and in such manner as he may determine.

20. Voting papers to be retained for six months

Upon the completion of the counting and after the result has been declared by him, the Returning Officer shall seal up the voting papers and all other documents relating to the election and shall retain the same for a period of six months and he shall not destroy or cause to be destroyed the records even after six months without the previous concurrence of the Central Government.

21. Result of Election

The Returning Officer shall intimate the names of the elected candidates to the Central Government who shall take steps to publish the names of the elected persons in the Official Gazette.

22. Representative of Universities

(1) The President shall, not later than ninety days before the date of occurrence of a vacancy by the expiry of the term of office of a member from a University send intimation thereof to the Central Government, who shall, not later than sixty days before the date of occurrence of the vacancy, forward a notice by registered post to the Registrar of the University concerned requesting him to hold an election by a date not later than the date specified in the notice.

(2) In the case of a vacancy occurring otherwise than as mentioned in sub-rule (1), the President shall notify the Central Government as soon as possible the occurrence of the vacancy and the Central Government shall thereupon forward a notice by registered post to the Registrar of the University concerned requesting him to hold an election by a date not later than the date specified in the notice.

(3) For the purpose of the first election under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 3, it shall be sufficient if the Central Government forward a notice by registered post to the Registrar of each University concerned requesting him to hold the election by a date not later than the date specified in the notice.

23. Election by Faculty or Department

The members of the Faculty or Department (by whatever name called) of each of the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems of medicine of the University shall elect one member of the respective system of medicine from amongst themselves in the following manner, namely :-

(a) the date, time and place of the election shall be intimated to each of the members by the Registrar of the University at least thirty days before the date of meeting;

(b) any member present at the meeting shall be entitled to propose a name of any member present, for election as a member of the Central Council and such proposal shall be required to be seconded by a member other than the proposer or the one whose name is proposed: Provided that one member shall be entitled to propose or second only one name.

(c) any candidate may withdraw his candidature before the actual election;

(d) if the name of only one candidate is duly proposed and seconded, the Registrar of the University shall forthwith declare, such candidate as duly elected;

(e) if the number of candidates duly proposed and seconded exceeds one, an election shall be held by secret ballot;

(f) before the commencement of the actual election on the date so intimated, the Registrar of the University shall invite the members to inspect ballot box in case they may like to do so and he shall then lock the box;

(g) on the date of actual election, the members present in the meeting shall, one by one sign against their names in the list which contains the names of all the members in aplhabetical order and is placed along the side of the ballot box;

(h) after a member has signed him name in the said list, he shall be given a ballot paper containing the names of all the candidates and signature of the Registrar of the University, which he shall drop into the ballot box after affixing thereon a cross (X) mark against the name of the candidate of his choice;

(i) as soon as all the members present and wishing to exercise the right to vote have done so, the Registrar of the University, shall, in the presence of the candidates who may be present in person, open the ballot box and intake out from it all the ballot papers, examine them and reject as invalid any ballot paper:-

(A) if it does not bear the signature of the Registrar of the University; or

(B) if the member signs his name or writes any word or makes any mark on it by which it becomes recognisable as his ballot paper; or

(C) if no vote is recorded thereon; or
(D) if there is uncertainty of the vote exercised; or
(E) if the vote has been given in favour of more than one candidate;
(j) the Registrar of the University shall then proceed to arrange the valid votes according to the candidates in whose favour they have been cast and count them separately for each candidate;

(k) after the counting is over, the Registrar of the University shall make an announcement in the meeting about the votes secured by each of the candidates and he shall also declare the candidate securing the largest number of valid votes as duly elected to be a member of Central Council.

(l) in the event of two or more candidates securing the same number of votes and that number being more than the number of votes secured by any candidate other than the two or more securing the same number of votes, the determination as between such candidates shall be by draw of lots and the candidates on whom the lot falls, shall be declared elected ."]

24. Intimation of name of elected person to the Central Government

The name of the person elected shall be intimated by the Registrar of the University to the Central Government who shall take steps to publish the name of the elected person in the Official Gazette.

Subordinate Legislation under the Indian Medicine Central Council Act,1970