Provided that the petition shall not be dismissed without giving the petitioner an opportunity of being heard.

Power to withdraw and transfer petitions Power to withdraw and transfer petitions. Any aurhbrity empowered in this behalf by the State Government may, at any stage after notice to parties and for reasons to be recorded, withdraw any election petition pending before a prescribed authoriLy and transfer it for trial to another prescribed authority ;and upon such transfer, that prescribed authority shall proceed with the trial from the stage at which it was withdrawn ;