(1) Any candidate duly nominated may, not less than 4 clear days before the day fixed for taking the poll, withdraw from his or her candidature by giving notice to the effect, signed by him or her, to the returning officer, provided that on such withdrawal there remains not less than one duly nominated candidate.
(2) If any such candidate withdraws from his or her candidature in accordance with subsection (1), or dies before the day fixed for taking the poll, the returning officer shall give public notice of such withdrawal or death in the Gazette and in one local newspaper; and if on such withdrawal or death there remains only one duly nominated candidate, the returning officer shall declare such candidate to have been elected, and shall immediately thereafter certify by endorsement on the writ of election the return of such candidate in the form set out as Form 11 in Schedule 3, and shall return the writ so endorsed to the Commission for transmission to the Governor General within the time specified therein.