More than 70 police officers are to be deployed outside polling stations to help combat fraud at next month’s election.
“Robust measures” to tackle electoral malpractice at the general election on June 8 were announced by a Tower Hamlets council spokeswoman earlier today. The move comes two years after results of the borough’s 2014 mayoral election were declared unvalid, after the High Court found re-elected mayor Lutfur Rahman “personally guilty” of “corrupt and illegal practices”.
Under the new measures, a police officer will be present at every polling station across the borough, and a mobile police team will also be available to respond to incidents.
Large groups of campaigners will also not be allowed to congregate around polling stations. The spokeswoman also promised that all allegations made to the acting returning officer will be investigated fully and responded to within 24 hours.
Police launched a fresh investigation into Tower Hamlets voting fraud last month following complaints that Rahman had not been prosecuted for his actions.
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