(1) A petition shall not be withdrawn without the leave of the Court or a judge upon application made by summons.
(2) No such application shall be made for the withdrawal of a petition until the petitioner has given notice of his or her intention to the Registrar and the respondent, and the Registrar shall cause the same to be inserted in the Gazette and a newspaper published in Saint Lucia.
(3) Where there are more petitioners than one no application to withdraw a petition shall be made except with the consent of all the petitioners.
(4) Before leave for the withdrawal of a petition is granted, there shall be produced affidavits by the parties to the petition and their Attorneys-at-law, and by the election agents of the parties who were candidates at the election to the effect stated in the next succeeding paragraph of this rule, but the Court may on cause shown dispense with the affidavit of any particular person if on special grounds it appears to the Court just so to do.
(5) Each affidavit shall state that to the best of the deponent's knowledge and belief, no agreement or terms of any kind whatsoever has or have been made, and no undertaking has been entered into, in relation to the withdrawal of the petition; but if any lawful agreement has been made with respect to the withdrawal of the petition the affidavit shall set forth that agreement, and shall make the foregoing statement subject to what appears from the affidavit.
(6) The affidavits of the applicant and his or her attorney-at-law shall further state the ground on which the petition is sought to be withdrawn.
(7) It is not lawful for any person to make any agreement or terms, or to enter into any undertaking, in relation to or for the withdrawal of a petition in consideration of any payment, or in consideration that the seat shall at any time be vacated, or in consideration of the withdrawal of any other petition, and every person acting in contravention of this provision is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $48.
(8) Any person who might have been a petitioner in respect of the election to which the petition relates may, within 5 days after the publication by the Registrar of a copy of the notice of application for leave to withdraw the petition, apply to the Court or a judge to be substituted as a petitioner for the petitioner so desirous of withdrawing the petition, and the Court or judge may at the hearing of the application, if it or he or she thinks fit, substitute as a petitioner any such applicant.
(9) Where in the opinion of the Court or a judge the proposed withdrawal of a petition is induced by any corrupt bargain or consideration or is the result of any agreement, terms or undertaking prohibited by this rule, it or he or she may by order direct that the security given on behalf of the original petitioner shall remain as security for any costs that may be incurred by the substituted petitioner.
(10) If no such order is made with respect to the security given on behalf of the original petitioner, security to the same amount as would be required in the case of an original petitioner, and subject to the like conditions, shall be given on behalf of the substituted petitioner within 5 days after the order of substitution and before he or she takes any step in the proceedings.
(11) Subject as aforesaid, a substituted petitioner shall stand in the same position, as nearly as may be, and be subject to the same liabilities as the original petitioner.
(12) If a petition is withdrawn the petitioner is liable to pay the costs of the respondent.