57.
| (1) Where no candidate has received more than one half of the valid votes cast at the election, the Commissioner shall
| | (a) where there are three candidates at the election
| | | (i) eliminate from the contest the candidate who has received the lowest number of votes, and |
| (ii) direct each returning officer to take such steps as may be necessary to count the second preference of each voter whose vote has been for the candidate eliminated under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, as a vote in favour of one or the other of the remaining two candidates ; or |
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| | (b) where there are more than three candidates at the election
| | | (i) eliminate from the contest the candidates other than the candidates who received the highest and second highest number of votes, and |
| (ii) direct each returning officer to take such steps as may be necessary |
| (aa) to count the second preference of each voter whose vote had been for a candidate eliminated under subparagraph (I) of this paragraph, if it is for one or the other of the remaining two candidates, as a vote in favour of such remaining candidate; and |
| (bb) where the second preference of a voter is not counted under this sub paragraph, to count the third preference of such voter if it is for one or the other of the remaining two candidates, as a vote in favour of such remaining candidate. |
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| (2) For the purposes of subsection (i)
| | (a) the second preference shall not be counted if the voter has specified his second preference for more than one candidate; | | |
| | (b) the third preference shall not be counted if the voter has specified his third preference for more than one candidate. | | |
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Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts