CHENNAI: The State Election Commission will appoint observers to oversee the conduct of local body polls scheduled later this year.

A government notification to amend Tamil Nadu Third Grade Municipalities and Municipal and Corporation Councils (Elections) Rules, 1996, said: "The State Election Commission may nominate an observer who shall be an officer of the Government to watch the conduct of election or elections in a third grade municipality or municipality or corporation or a part or a group thereof within a Revenue Division or a part of Revenue Division or a group of Revenue Divisions and to perform such other functions as may be entrusted to him by the State Election Commission."

The notification, issued on June 15, said the observer would have the powers to stop counting of votes and withhold declaration of result, if convinced that booth capturing had taken place in a large number of polling stations or that ballot papers or electronic voting machines were unlawfully taken out of the custody of the presiding or returning officer.

The observer could also stop the counting and withhold the result if, before counting was completed, ballot papers or electronic voting machines unlawfully taken out were accidentally or intentionally destroyed, lost, damaged or tampered with to such an extent that the result could not be ascertained.

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