Former India Footballer Mehtab Hossain to Comply with Election Commission Summons
Former India international footballer Mehtab Hossain has confirmed that he will respond to the summons issued by the Election Commission of India under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The veteran midfielder emphasized that he has nothing to hide and is prepared to submit all necessary documents as required by the authorities.
Summons Linked to Voter Record Discrepancy
Hossain revealed that the notice, which asks him to appear for a hearing on February 1, could be connected to a discrepancy in voter records concerning his mother's name. He explained, "My mother's name was present in the 2002 voter list, but our title is Hossain, and her name had Begum written because that was her real name. We have changed that to Noorjahan Begum Hossain. I think that's why I have been called."
The footballer, who earned 33 caps for the national team and played for iconic clubs like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, stated, "They are calling everyone; celebrities bigger than me have been called. I will provide every document and proof which is needed for the process." He made these comments to news agency ANI after receiving the official notice.
Concerns Over SIR Process Implementation
While committing to comply with the summons, Hossain expressed significant concerns about how the SIR exercise is being conducted in West Bengal. He remarked, "We don't have any choice but to appear. I think there should have been more planning. Correction happens everywhere, and people will benefit from that, but planning is the problem. It all happened very suddenly."
Highlighting the scale of the exercise, the former midfielder suggested that a more phased approach would have been beneficial. "West Bengal has a big population, and doing zone-wise SIR for six to seven months more would have been better. Perhaps it's because of the vote (elections). I don't know the exact reason, but we have to appear because we are called," he added, hinting at possible political motivations behind the timing.
Growing List of Sportspersons Summoned
Mehtab Hossain joins a growing list of prominent Indian sportspersons who have received similar notices under the SIR process. Earlier, women's cricket legend Jhulan Goswami and cricketers Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Mohammad Shami were also summoned and subsequently appeared for their hearings.
This trend has drawn sharp criticism from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, which has questioned the intent behind targeting well-known athletes. In a post on social media platform X, the party stated that the summons reflect "the true depth of BJP's paranoia."
Political Backlash and Allegations
The TMC's post elaborated further, saying, "Sportspersons who wore India on their chest, carried the Tricolour across stadiums, and made the nation proud are now being dragged to SIR hearings to 'prove' who they are. This is the true depth of BJP's paranoia." Referring specifically to Hossain's case, the party added, "After Mohammed Shami and Laxmi Ratan Shukla, former India footballer Mehtab Hossain, a man with 33 international caps, who played for East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, whose only identity has always been India, is now being summoned over spelling errors."
The political party went on to allege, "When even athletes who have represented the nation on the global stage are not spared, it is obvious this SIR is not about electoral rolls, but about harassment, driven by BJP's desperation and enabled by a captured Election Commission." The Trinamool Congress has consistently opposed the SIR process in West Bengal, framing it as politically motivated rather than an administrative exercise.
The situation highlights the intersection of sports, politics, and electoral administration in India, raising questions about the implementation of voter verification processes and their impact on public figures who have served the nation through their sporting achievements.
