Singapore legislation
Clause 16
Clause 16
Contested elections
(1)
If, on nomination day after the decision by the Returning Officer of any objections which may have been lodged, more than one candidate stands nominated for election to the office of President, the Returning Officer shall forthwith adjourn the election to enable a poll to be taken in accordance with the provisions of this Act, and shall allot to each candidate an approved symbol which shall be printed on the ballot paper opposite the name of that candidate, except that the Returning Officer may, in his discretion, allot to any candidate some other symbol selected by the candidate.
(2)
In subsection (1), “approved symbol” means any symbol approved by the Returning Officer for the purposes of this Art by notification published in the Gazette.
(3)
Subject to subsection (1), the determination of the approved symbol to be allotted to each candidate shall be made by lot by the Returning Officer, except that no candidate shall be allotted any symbol which is of any racial or religious significance or which denotes or implies an affiliation with any political party.
(4)
In the event of any dispute arising regarding the allocation of any symbol under this section, the decision of the Returning Officer shall be final and shall not be questioned.
(5)
Subject to section 6(1), the Returning Officer shall cause to be published in the Gazette a notice in the prescribed form specifying —
the date on which the poll will be taken, being a date not less than 9 days or more than 8 weeks after the date of publication of the notice in the Gazette (referred to in this Act as polling day);
the names of the candidates in the order in which they will be printed on the ballot papers, the symbol allotted to each candidate, and the names of their proposers and seconders; and
the locations of the polling stations.
(6)
In computing time for the purposes of subsection (5)(a), the last day of the period shall not be excluded only by reason of the fact that it is a Sunday or that it is a public holiday under the provisions of this Act or any other written law.
(7)
If, after an election has been reported as contested, one of the candidates nominated dies before the poll has commenced, the Returning Officer shall, upon being satisfied of the fact of the death countermand the notice for the poll, and shall appoint by notice published in the Gazette a fresh date for the election; and in such case, all proceedings with reference to the election shall be commenced afresh, except that no fresh nomination shall be necessary in the case of the candidates who stood nominated at the time of the countermand of the poll.