Kolkata: Fast bowler Mohammad Shami, currently out of the Indian cricket team, faces fresh challenges as the Election Commission has issued a notice to him and his brother, cricketer Mohammad Kaif, for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. This process began on December 16.
Notices were sent from Cartju Nagar School in Jadavpur, South Kolkata, instructing them to appear before the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer. However, Shami could not attend the scheduled hearing as he was representing the West Bengal team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and was in Rajkot at the time.
In a letter to the Election Commission, Shami explained his absence, stating, “I am writing regarding the notice received for my presence on January 5, 2026, at your office for the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll. Due to my current participation in domestic cricket matches representing the Bengal state team, I will not be able to attend the hearing on the mentioned date and time.”
Mohammad Shami is registered as a voter in Ward No. 93 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, which falls under the Rasbihari Assembly constituency. Originally from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, Shami has been residing in Kolkata for a long time. According to the Election Commission, the names of Shami and his brother appeared in the hearing list due to discrepancies in the enumeration forms, particularly related to progeny mapping and self-mapping errors.
The hearing concerning Shami’s case is scheduled between January 9 and 11. The final voter list for West Bengal will be published on February 14. The December-released draft of the SIR rolls saw the removal of over 5.8 million names.
(Daily Kiran)