  Within the framework of covariant confined quark model, we compute the
transition form factors of $D$ and $D_s$ mesons decaying to light scalar mesons
$f_0(980)$ and $a_0(980)$. The transition form factors are then utilized to
compute the semileptonic branching fractions. We study the channels namely,
$D_{(s)}^+ \to f_0(980) \ell^+ \nu_\ell$ and $D \to a_0(980) \ell^+ \nu_\ell$
for $\ell = e$ and $\mu$. For computation of semileptonic branching fractions,
we consider the $a_0(980)$ meson to be the conventional quark-antiquark
structure and the $f_0(980)$ meson as the admixture of $s\bar{s}$ and light
quark-antiquark pairs. Our findings are found to support the recent BESIII
data.
