(a) (1) Any person desiring to contest the qualifications of another person whose nomination in the primary election, nomination by petition, or nomination by appointment to fill a vacancy on the ballot, has been certified and filed pursuant to article five, chapter three of this Code, as a candidate for the office of county commission at a general election, shall file a verified petition specifically setting forth the grounds of the challenge not later than thirty days after the date of the primary election.
(2) The court may permit a petition to be filed after the thirtieth day after the primary election upon a finding that the petitioner was unable to discover the grounds for challenging the qualifications of the candidate prior to the thirtieth after the primary election despite the exercise of reasonable diligence.