Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami, known for his stellar performances including key roles in multiple World Cups, and his younger brother Mohammed Kaif have been issued notices by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to appear for a hearing related to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
The SIR process, which commenced on December 16, 2025, aims to update and verify voter lists across the state. The summons for the Shami brothers stem from discrepancies identified in their voter registration forms, particularly issues with family member listings and self-mapping details.
Shami, who originally hails from Uttar Pradesh but has resided in Kolkata for several years while representing Bengal in domestic cricket, is registered as a voter in Ward 93 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation under the Rashbehari Assembly constituency. His brother Kaif, also a pace bowler playing for Bengal, faces similar scrutiny.
The hearing was scheduled before an Assistant Electoral Registration Officer in Jadavpur, Kolkata. However, Shami has requested an exemption, citing his commitments with the Bengal team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Currently in Rajkot for matches, including a fixture on January 6, he informed authorities through a formal letter that he is unavailable due to official cricket duties. Sources indicate the Election Commission may reschedule the appearance to accommodate his schedule, potentially between January 9 and 11.
This development comes amid a broader SIR drive in West Bengal, where several public figures have received similar notices for verification purposes. SIR has been strongly criticised by the ruling Trinamool Congress, calling it a “ill planned” drive to harass voters and in a way politically help Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). Several deaths in the state since the drive - have been attributed to SIR and its stringent documentation scrutiny, by the TMC. While ECI has maintained that only genuine Indian voters will be allowed to be exercise franchise but TMC has called it a tool to verify citizenship of people and target minority community. So far, as per Mamata Banerjee government around 70 people have died in the state since the SIR exercise including several BLOs and elderly people. Even during the hearing, ECI had faced criticism with elderly people made to come for the summons - enduring physical hardships.
Shami was called on Monday but sources indicate that he is away due to cricket commitments. No official statement has been issued by him or his family. Shami has been in fine form domestically, claiming 11 wickets in five Vijay Hazare Trophy games, as he continues his push for a national team recall. Neither Shami nor Kaif has commented publicly beyond the formal request for rescheduling.
