(1)…F1 Save [F2 as otherwise provided in this Act] an electoral officer or other person performing the functions of returning officer at a parliamentary election in any constituency…F3 shall not give, pay, demand, take or accept any fee, reward or gratutity whatsoever for or in relation to any of such functions.
(2)Any expenses properly incurred by an electoral officer as returning officer at a parliamentary election (in this Act referred to as election expenses ) shall…F1 be charged on and paid out of the Consolidated Fund.
(3)The Ministry may on the request of [F2 the Chief Electoral Officer or a person to whom the duties of returning officer at a parliamentary election are delegated] for an advance on account of his election expenses make such an advance on such terms as it thinks fit.
(4)The Ministry with the concurrence of the Ministry of FinanceF4 shall prescribe a scale of election expenses; and the time at which and the manner and form in which accounts of and claims for the payment of election expenses are to be submitted to the Ministry shall be such as the Ministry shall direct.