24. Amendment of section 30 of the principal enactment

Section 30 of the principal enactment as last amended by Act, No. 25 of 1990, is hereby further amended by the repeal of subsection (4) of that section, and the substitution therefor of the following subsection:—

“(4) Where the candidate of a recognized political party or independent group on whose behalf a deposit was made is not elected and where the number of votes polled by such candidate does not exceed one-twentieth of the total number of valid votes polled in the ward in which he contested, the deposit made on behalf of such candidate shall be declared forfeit. The returning officer with whom it was deposited, shall transfer such amount from the deposit account to the

Consolidated Fund and in every other case the deposit shall be returned to the candidate who made the deposit, as soon as may be after the result of the election is declared :

Provided that, where any recognized political party or independent group fails to obtain more than one twentieth of the total number of valid votes which contested the election in such local authority area, the deposit made by each such recognized political party or independent group, in respect of all the additional persons whose names appear in the nomination paper submitted by such recognized political parties or independent group, shall be declared forfeit and the provisions of this subsection shall apply in regard to the transfer of such deposit.”.