Star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami appears for SIR hearing in Kolkata

Published - 20 Jan 2026, 18:40 IST | Updated - 20 Jan 2026, 19:08 IST

Star Indian PACER Mohammed Shami appeared before election officials in Kolkata on Tuesday for his scheduled hearing under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal. The hearing was conducted after discrepancies were found in his voter enumeration form. Following the process, Shami expressed satisfaction with the arrangements and urged citizens to participate responsibly in the SIR exercise, stating that it is meant to correct records and does not harm anyone.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has been carrying out the SIR exercise across West Bengal to verify and update electoral rolls. During this process, several names were flagged under the ‘logical discrepancies’ category, including that of Shami and his brother, Mohammed Kaif. According to election officials, the discrepancies in the cricketer's enumeration form required clarification, leading to the issuance of a notice for a personal hearing.

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Shami, who hails from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, has been residing in Kolkata for several years due to his cricketing career and is registered as a voter in Kolkata Municipal Corporation Ward No. 93 under the Rashbehari Assembly constituency. He also represents Bengal in domestic cricket, including the Ranji Trophy.

The Indian pacer appeared for the hearing at a school in the Bikramgarh area of south Kolkata, carrying the necessary documents. Election officials confirmed that Shami’s earlier inability to attend the hearing was due to his participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Rajkot, representing Bengal. As a result, a fresh date was allotted for his appearance. After concluding the hearing, Shami spoke to reporters and praised the election officials for ensuring a smooth and hassle-free process.

"There was no problem. SIR is not something that will harm you. It is your responsibility that you should come and get things correct in SIR form. I didn't face any problem as the people here handled things really well," he said as quoted by NDTV.