Home › The Representation of the People Act, 1951 › Part IV – Administrative machinery for the conduct of elections
Section 23: Returning officer to include assistant returning officers performing the functions of the returning officer
References in this Act to the returning officer shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be deemed to include an assistant returning officer performing any function which he is authorised to perform under sub-section (2) of section 22.
(2) The returning officer shall preside over such election at the place so fixed and shall appoint such polling officer or officers to assist him as he thinks necessary but he shall not appoint any person who has been employed by or on behalf of, or has been otherwise working for, a candidate in or about the election.
Source: official text of The Representation of the People Act, 1951 as published on India Code (PDF). All sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.