Punjab crush Rajasthan's hopes with a 6 wicket win
Indore, May 6: Done and dusted in style! Tremendous batting effort by KL Rahul. So far in this season he provided brisk starts to his team and today showed his other side of the game as he anchored this chase and steered Punjab closer to the playoff berth. Rajasthan will be deeply disappointed at the moment as once again they failed to cross the line. Their season is just refusing to take off.
It wasn't an usual performance by Punjab in their innings. In fact, it was a subdued one. Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal departed in quick succession and the hosts ended up with their lowest Powerplay score of the season. Rajasthan had the upper hand at that stage of the match but the combination of Rahul and Nair raised a fifty stand to keep the chase on track.
Just when it seemed that the pair of Rahul and Nair will run away with the show, Anureet Singh struck to send the latter back to the pavilion. The promotion of Axar Patel didn't go as per the plan for Punjab but the presence of KL Rahul in the middle meant that they were always hopeful. Eventually, Marcus Stoinis and Rahul together overhauled the target with 8 balls to spare.
Credit should be given to Rajasthan for trying hard but they didn't have enough runs in the bank. Still, their bowlers fared exceedingly well to create immense pressure but towards the end they gave it away. Till the second strategic break, the visitors were in with a chance but Stoinis and Rahul changed gears after that to earn an easy win.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman is adjudged the Man of the Match for his fantastic bowling spell. His figures of 4-0-27-3 put Rajasthan in deep trouble.
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Guv Gehlot clears bill paving way for Panchayat elections through ballots
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has given his assent to the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act that will pave the way for holding the Panchayat elections through ballots instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Following the assent, the Act was notified in the state gazette on Wednesday.
The bill was passed by both houses of the Karnataka legislature in March during the budget session, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
As per the law, the principle of secrecy of the ballot is a cornerstone of free and fair elections, as recognised by the judiciary, which emphasised that the secrecy of the ballot protects voters from coercion, intimidation, and undue influence, thereby safeguarding the sanctity of the democratic process in several judgments of the Supreme Court.
Some concerns have been raised regarding the functioning of EVMs, necessitating a return to the robust secret ballot paper system to restore public trust, according to the Act.
Justifying its decision, the Karnataka government said there is “a growing consensus on the need to strengthen electoral mechanisms that prioritise anonymity and transparency”.
