18,000 warrants pending in poll-bound Bengal

More than 18,000 non-bailable warrants are pending execution in various districts of West Bengal which goes to polls in six phases beginning April 4.
According to reports given by district superintendents of police and commissionerates to the Election Commission, 1,09,457 NBWs have been executed from December 2015 till March 23.
"Only 18,388 NBWs are pending. New cases are getting registered every day and they are executed in due course of time. In some cases there are procedural complexities involved which leads to delay sometimes," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar said today.
There are strict instructions from the EC to execute all NBWs for peaceful elections and they have asked the police to implement the order, he said.

The highest pending cases are in East Midnapore (2,227), Murshidabad (2,713) and South 24 Parganas (1,530).
"Those who get bail are kept under surveillance and their movements are tracked. We are always alert so that no one can create trouble before or during polling," Sarkar said.
To review district wise poll preparedness, the Deputy Election Commissioner will have a video conference meeting with district magistrates.