Kolkata (West Bengal)

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami on Tuesday left from the Election Commission office in Kolkata after concluding his Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing, asserting that there was no problem during the process.

Shami also urged citizens to come forward and participate in the ongoing SIR exercise, stressing that it will not harm anyone.

"There was no problem... The SIR is not something that will harm you... Those who do not have an SIR form should also come," Shami told reporters after his SIR hearing.

According to the media reports, the enumeration form filled up by Shami had discrepancies in some places, because of which he was summoned for the hearing.

Shami, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, has been residing in West Bengal for his cricketing career. He also represents the Bengal team in the Ranji Trophy.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision directing the Election Commission of India (ECI) to display the names of the electors falling under the 'logical discrepancies' category in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in West Bengal.

A three-judge bench led by CJI Surya Kant issued directions to the ECI on various pleas alleging procedural illegalities in the SIR exercise in West Bengal.

The apex court noted that the ECI has issued notices to certain persons described as falling under the category of 'logical discrepancies'. Thus, with a view to enabling persons included in the category, the Court issued a direction to publish the names of such persons at Gram Panchayat Bhavans, Block Offices, and Ward Offices.

The court asked the state government to provide adequate manpower to the ECI and the State Election Commission to entertain the documents and objections and to adhere to the hearing process for persons likely to be affected. In this regard, directions shall be issued by the ECI/State Government for the deployment of adequate personnel.

The Electoral Roll Officers' Network (ERONET) portal had flagged more than 1.2 crore names under the 'logical discrepancy' category, sparking a fresh row over the SIR exercise in the state.

TMC National General Secretary and MP, Abhishek Banerjee, termed it a defeat for the BJP, stating that the apex court has accepted the party's demand of publishing the names in the 'logical discrepancies' category.

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Addressing a public gathering, he said, "One crore names that were targeted to be struck off have been saved, and the victory belongs to the people of Bengal. Our voting rights were being threatened, but the Supreme Court has given them a firm rebuke. Today BJP and PM Modi have been defeated in court; in the coming days, they will be defeated by votes. This is not Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, or Gujarat. This land has shown the way to the freedom movement and the Renaissance. We never bow our heads to outsiders. The people of Bengal do not know how to sell their spine or live in slavery."