EC summons Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, his brother, for SIR hearing in Kolkata: Reports
Kolkata: Cricketer Mohammed Shami and his brother Mohammed Kaif were summoned by the Election Commission to appear for a hearing, part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process that began on December 16, 2025, reported India Today.
Notices were issued on Monday from Kartju Nagar School in the Jadavpur area of south Kolkata, directing both to appear before the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO). However, Shami could not attend the scheduled hearing, as he is currently in Rajkot representing Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Shami is a voter in Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Ward No. 93 under the Rashbehari Assembly constituency. He has been a permanent resident of Kolkata for several years tough he belonged to Uttar Pradesh.
Quoting ECI sources, the report stated that the names of Shami and his brother appeared on the hearing list due to complications in their enumeration forms, including discrepancies related to progeny mapping and self-mapping. Shami’s hearing has now been scheduled between January 9 and 11.
This comes amid criticism of the SIR process by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who earlier wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar questioning the objectives and asking whether the “ECI was aware of the goal of SIR.”
She wrote, "Although the exercise is described as time-bound, there are no clearly defined, transparent, or uniformly applicable timelines. Different States are following different criteria, and timelines are being altered arbitrarily, reflecting a glaring lack of clarity, preparedness, and procedural understanding.”
She further alleged a lack of transparency, uniform timelines and clear communication, warning that errors or ambiguities could lead to the disenfranchisement of genuine voters.
The final voter list for poll-bound West Bengal is slated to be published on February 14. More than 58 lakh names were deleted from the draft electoral rolls released in December as part of the SIR exercise.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ramadan fasting to kickoff from Thursday in Karnataka
Bengaluru: The Holy month of Ramadan will start from Thursday, February 19, announced convener of the State Moon Sighting Committee Maulana Maqsood Imran Rashadi on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference after the Moon Sighting Committee meeting held at the State Waqf Board office on Cunningham Road in the city on Wednesday evening, he said that there is no information about moon sighting anywhere in the capital Bengaluru, including other districts.
“However, after receiving reports of moon sightings in neighbouring states including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Delhi, it has been decided to start fasting from Thursday,” he said.
The meeting was attended by Maulana Mufti Iftikhar Ahmed Qasmi, Maulana Ejaz Ahmed Nadvi and other members of the ulema.
