(a) Except as specifically set forth herein, these rules shall be liberally construed and technical defects shall be disregarded where there has been substantial compliance and where a strict construction is not required for the prevention of fraud.

(b) The failure to obtain an identification number or inscribe an identification number on one or more petitions or petition volumes shall not render any such petition or petition volume invalid. The officer or board receiving such petition or petition volume shall assign identification numbers to such petition or petition volumes, shall inscribe the identification number upon the petition or volume, and shall record the identification number of such petition or volume. In such instances, the person or persons submitting the petition or petition volume for filing shall be deemed to be the applicant for the identification number, or in the event the persons submitting the petition or petition volume, cannot be identified, the candidates named on the petition or petition volume shall be deemed to be the applicant or applicants.