// getting total number records without any search
     $query = $dbObj->query("SELECT * FROM " . $contestObj::$tableName);
     $totalData = mysqli_num_rows($query);
     $totalFiltered = $totalData;
     // when there is no search parameter then total number rows = total number filtered rows.
     $sql = "SELECT * FROM " . $contestObj::$tableName . " WHERE 1=1 ";
     if (!empty($requestData['search']['value'])) {
         // if there is a search parameter, $requestData['search']['value'] contains search parameter
         $sql .= " AND ( title LIKE '%" . $requestData['search']['value'] . "%' ";
         $sql .= " OR intro LIKE '%" . $requestData['search']['value'] . "%' ) ";
     }
     $query = $dbObj->query($sql);
     $totalFiltered = mysqli_num_rows($query);
     // when there is a search parameter then we have to modify total number filtered rows as per search result.
     $sql .= " ORDER BY " . $columns[$requestData['order'][0]['column']] . "   " . $requestData['order'][0]['dir'] . "  LIMIT " . $requestData['start'] . " ," . $requestData['length'] . "   ";
     echo $contestObj->fetchForJQDT($requestData['draw'], $totalData, $totalFiltered, $sql);
 }
 if (filter_input(INPUT_GET, "activateContest") != NULL) {
     $postVars = array('id', 'status');
     // Form fields names
     //Validate the POST variables and add up to error message if empty
     foreach ($postVars as $postVar) {
         switch ($postVar) {
             case 'status':
                 $contestObj->{$postVar} = filter_input(INPUT_GET, $postVar) ? mysqli_real_escape_string($dbObj->connection, filter_input(INPUT_GET, $postVar, FILTER_VALIDATE_INT)) : 0;
                 if ($contestObj->{$postVar} == 1) {
                     $contestObj->{$postVar} = 0;
                 } elseif ($contestObj->{$postVar} == 0) {
                     $contestObj->{$postVar} = 1;
                 }
                 break;