Section 14

The election agent of a candidate shall appoint every polling agent, counting agent, clerk and messenger employed, whether for payment or not, on behalf of the candidate at an election, and hire every committee-room hired on behalf of the candidate, and shall before the open-ing of the poll inform the presiding officer at each polling station in writing of the name and ad~ress of the polling agent or agents appointed to act at that station and the returning officer of the constituency or electoral ward con-cerned in writing of the name and address of the counting agent or agents appointed to attend the counting of the votes:

Provided that the returning officer may limit the number of counting agents, so however that the number shall be the same in the case of each candidate and the number allowed to a candidate shall not, except in special circumstances, be less than the number obtained by dividing the number of clerks employed on the counting by the number of candi-dates.

A contract whereby any expenses are incurred on account of or in respect of the conduct or management of an election shall not be enforceable against a candidate at such election, unless made by the candidate himself or by his election agent:

Provided that inability under this section to enforce such contract against the candidate shall not relieve the candidate from the consequences of any corrupt or illegal practice committed by his agent.

21

Making of appointments and contracts through elec-tion agent

22

Payment of expenses through elec-tion agent

Prohibition of certain ex-penses

Election Offences 15.

Except as permitted by or in pursuance of this

Act, no payment and no advance or deposit shall be made by a candidate at an election, or by any agent on behalf of the candidate, or by any other person at any time, whether before, during, or after such election, in respect of any ex-penses incurred on account of or in respect of the conduct or management of such election otherwise than by or through the election agent of the candidate; and all money provided by any person other than the candidate for any expenses incurred on account of or in respect of the conduct or man-agement of the election, whether as gift, loan, advance, or deposit, shall be paid to the candidate or his election agent and not otherwise:

Provided that the provisions of this subsection shall not be deemed to apply to any payment by the returning officer or to any sum disbursed by any person out of his own money for any small expense legally incurred by himself, if such sum is not repaid to him.

A person who makes any payment, advance, or deposit in contravention of this section or pays in contraven-tion of this section any money so provided as aforesaid, shall be guilty of an illegal practice.