Mangaluru: Arriving 90 minutes late for the official celebrations of Krishna Janmashtami here on Sunday, District in-charge Minister U.T. Khader questioned the absence of Deputy Commissioner S. Sasikanth Senthil in the programme held at the Town Hall.

While the programme was scheduled at 3 p.m., Mr. Khader arrived at the venue at 4.30 p.m. During his address, the Minister said it was the duty of the Deputy Commissioner to participate in the programme organised by the district administration. Attendance to such official celebrations should not be restricted just to Ministers and MLAs, he said.

Mr. Khader said he would write to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Chief Secretary Vijay Bhaskar for holding an official Janmastami programme on a grand scale from next year.

The Mangaluru City South MLA, D. Vedavyas Kamath, nd Additional Deputy Commissioner Kumara participated in the function.

Mr. Senthil told that he did not attend the programme as he was the District Electoral Officer for the elections to Bantwal Town Municipal Council and City Municipal Councils of Ullal and Puttur, the code of conduct bars him from attending such programmes, he said.