According to sources, the notice was issued by the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) of Ward No. 93 in south Kolkata, where Shami is registered as a voter under the Rashbehari Assembly constituency. The alleged irregularities pertain to “progeny mapping” and “self-mapping” entries in the SIR forms, which are mandatory components of the voter verification process.
Shami, who was born in Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh, had cast his vote during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in his ancestral village in Uttar Pradesh. The appearance of his name in the Kolkata voter rolls, alongside his participation in voting elsewhere, triggered scrutiny during the ongoing SIR exercise, officials said. Neither Shami nor the Election Commission has issued an official statement so far.
The hearing for the matter has been scheduled between January 9 and January 11, during which the cricketer is expected to present documents and clarify the discrepancies. Shami is currently in Rajkot, representing Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He has not been selected for India’s upcoming limited-overs series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11.
The development comes amid heightened political tension over the Special Intensive Revision process in West Bengal. Following the completion of SIR, the draft electoral roll published on December 16 saw the deletion of approximately 58.21 lakh names. The Election Commission has since opened the window for claims, objections and hearings to rectify errors and address grievances.
Officials said notices are being routinely issued wherever documentation gaps, mapping errors or inconsistencies are found. Several prominent individuals, including former minister Kanti Gangopadhyay and relatives of Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, have also been summoned during the verification drive.
The SIR process has sparked a political confrontation in the state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Election Commission of conducting the revision exercise in a “mismanaged” manner and alleged harassment of voters. She has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, demanding corrective measures and warning that the process should be suspended if concerns are not addressed.
In response, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of shielding alleged fake voters and defended the SIR as a necessary step to clean electoral rolls.
The SIR exercise, which began in 12 states and Union Territories from October 28 after its rollout in Bihar, aims to update voter lists, remove ineligible names, and ensure electoral integrity ahead of future elections.
