14,000 pockets in Bengal under EC surveillance

The Election Commission has identified around 14,000 vulnerable pockets across West Bengal which are being monitored closely.
"We are undertaking confidence-building measures in all vulnerable locations. Central armed forces and sector officers will go there. The DM and SDO will also visit the vulnerable spots as per instructions from the Election Commission," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar said.
He said the district control rooms, which will be kept open 24/7 from this week, will have a list of vulnerable areas and contact persons of locals living in it.
"People can also call us to give updates while we will also keep calling them. This will be a continuous process," the official said, adding that more than 14,000 areas have been identified by them so far.

"But the list is very dynamic. It keeps on changing everyday," Sarkar said.
In the first part of the first phase of polls for April 4, scrutiny of nomination was done today after which 136 candidates have passed the screening.