133. (1) A petition shall be tried by the High Court and references to the court in this Part shall be construed as references to the High Court.

(2) The following provisions shall have effect in relation to the trial of a petition:

(a) in fixing the date for and conducting the trial, the court shall deal with the matter as soon as is reasonably possible;

(b) notwithstanding the death of any person to whose election the petition relates, the resignation of a person as a representative in the Parliament or a person otherwise ceasing to be such representative, the court shall have power to continue the trial if it considers it to be in the interests of justice to do so;

(c) the Director of Public Prosecutions may at any stage be represented at and take part in the trial as a party, whether on the Director’s own motion or at the request of the court;

(d) the returning officer for the relevant constituency and any local returning officer concerned shall, at the request of the court, attend the trial and give such assistance as shall be requested of such officer by the court, but without prejudice to the officer being a party to the proceedings or being called as a witness by any such party.