ELECTION experts have defended the voting system this week as a new storm broke over ballot box fraud. The Electoral Commission has said it will continue to monitor the situation closely in the East End after the latest claims of vote rigging. Peter Wardl

ELECTION experts have defended the voting system this week as a new storm broke over ballot box fraud.

The Electoral Commission has said it will continue to monitor the situation closely in the East End after the latest claims of vote rigging.

Peter Wardle, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said: "Everyone's vote needs to be carefully protected, and all of us involved in ensuring these elections are well-run take the security of every vote very seriously indeed.

Extra security checks were introduced in 2006, so this is the first time they've been in place for a general election.

Registration officers have new powers to check people registering to vote are who they claim and, where appropriate, remove them from the electoral register.

Anyone registering to vote by post also has to provide their date of birth and signature so this can be checked when their vote is cast.

The Commission's joint report with the police on the June 2009 elections in Great Britain showed they were free from major allegations of electoral fraud.