Ex-IPS & TMC MLA Humayun questions SIR notice after hearing

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA from Debra in West Midnapore and former IPS officer Humayun Kabir attended a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing on Friday but expressed surprise at having received the notice, citing his long service in the police force and overseas deputation on a United Nations mission.

Kabir appeared for the hearing at DPS Ruby Park School. Reacting to the notice, he said his voter ID card, PAN card and passport were not considered sufficient by the Election Commission of India (ECI) as his name did not figure in the 2002 voter list.

He said that during that period he was stationed in Europe on a UN deputation following orders from the Ministry of External Affairs and that he possessed a copy of his diplomatic passport.

After attending the hearing, Kabir said he had submitted his pension records. He said it was surprising that despite serving in the police force for 31 years and serving abroad on a UN mission, he was still required to appear for the hearing.

Earlier this month, the Election Commission of India served an SIR notice to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, seeking a hearing of the 92-year-old economist at his residence in Shantiniketan.

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami also appeared before poll officials in Kolkata for his scheduled SIR hearing, submitting the necessary documents at a school in the Bikramgarh area of south Kolkata.

TMC MP and actor Dev and former TMC MP and Bengali actress Mimi Chakraborty had also received notices to appear for SIR hearings. State Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Minister and senior TMC leader Shashi Panja participated in the SIR hearing process and alleged harassment in the name of the exercise.