Mohammed Shami, brother get EC notice over SIR discrepancies

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami and his brother Mohammed Kaif have been summoned by the Election Commission (EC) for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing in Kolkata due to discrepancies in their voter enumeration forms.

The notices were issued on Monday, January 5, from Kartju Nagar School in the Jadavpur area of south Kolkata, directing both brothers to appear before the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO). The hearing, initially scheduled for January 5, has been rescheduled to between January 9 and 11 after Shami informed the poll body he would be in Rajkot playing for Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

“I would like to respectfully inform you that due to my current participation in domestic cricket matches, wherein I am officially representing the Bengal state team, I shall be unable to attend the scheduled hearing on the mentioned date and time,” Shami stated in his letter at the time.

According to news portal News18, EC sources said the names surfaced on the hearing list due to complications in their enumeration forms. The issues relate to discrepancies in progeny mapping and self-mapping, processes used to establish voters’ linkage with previous electoral rolls.

The Indian cricket is enrolled as a voter in Kolkata Municipal Corporation ward no 93, which falls under the Rashbehari Assembly constituency. Though born in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, Shami has been a permanent resident of Kolkata for several years.

The summons comes amid growing controversy over the SIR process in West Bengal, which began on December 16, 2025. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar expressing concerns over procedural lapses and alleged violations of due process.Over 58 lakh names have been deleted from the SIR draft rolls published in December. The final voter list for West Bengal is scheduled to be published on February 14.