Mangaluru: Neglecting voting is insult of Constitution, says District Judge Mallikarjuna HS
Mangaluru: Voting is not just a right but a duty, and neglecting it is an act of disrespect towards the Constitution, said District and Sessions Court Judge Mallikarjuna HS. He was speaking at the 15th National Voters’ Day programme organized by the Dakshina Kannada District Administration and the District Legal Services Authority at Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall in Mangaluru on Saturday.
The judge highlighted that India had around 98 crore registered voters for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and the number has now crossed the 100-crore mark. However, he pointed out that the voter turnout last year was only 66 percent, meaning nearly 30 crore eligible voters skipped the elections. While around three crore people could not vote due to unavoidable reasons, the remaining 30 crore abstentions reflect a disregard for the Constitution, he remarked.
Despite this, he appreciated the efforts of district officials in ensuring a good voter turnout in every election. Urging young voters to take the initiative, he said it is the responsibility of the youth to ensure voter turnout crosses 90 percent in the next elections. They must spread awareness among their friends, classmates, and neighbors about the importance of voting.
Judge Mallikarjuna also explained the significance of National Voters’ Day, which was first observed in 2011. Though the Indian Constitution came into effect in 1950, authorities later noticed that despite rising literacy levels, voter awareness was declining. This led to the launch of National Voters’ Day in 2011 to encourage greater participation in elections, he said.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Dr. Anand, the chief guest at the event, administered the oath of voting to citizens. Eligible voters were handed representational voter ID cards, and officials who had made significant contributions during the last elections were felicitated.
The event was presided over by Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Mullai Muhilan. Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr. G Santhosh Kumar and senior officer Khader Shah were also present. The event was compered by Manjula Shetty.
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CSK's Ayush Mhatre ruled out of remainder of IPL 2026 due to hamstring injury
New Delhi (PTI): Chennai Super Kings batter Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing IPL season due to a hamstring injury, dealing a major blow to the five-time champions.
The franchise said Mhatre, who sustained the injury during CSK’s previous game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18, will require a rehabilitation period of six to 12 weeks.
"Ayush Mhatre has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2026 due to a left hamstring injury sustained while batting during the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 18.
"Ayush's injury will require a rehabilitation period of 6-12 weeks," CSK announced on its social media on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old, who came in as an impact substitute, was seen in visible discomfort and clutched his hamstring while attempting a run during CSK’s 10-run loss to SRH in Hyderabad.
He required on-field treatment and, although he continued briefly, was dismissed soon after.
"It looks pretty bad, unfortunately. And he's going to be a big, big loss because he's been in really nice touch for us," CSK's batting coach Mike Hussey had said at the post-match press conference.
Mhatre has been CSK's standout batter this season. He lea collecting 201 runs from six matches at a strike-rate of 177.87.
Chennai Super Kings have endured a poor start to the 2026 season, losing four of their six matches to languish in eighth place.
