A senior British politician called Monday for an inquiry into the possibility that some of the millions of postal votes to be cast in this week's general election could be used to rig the vote.
Former House of Commons speaker Lord Wetherill raised concerns after a BBC investigation demonstrated the possibility of vote-rigging using the postal voting system.
According to a BBC estimate, up to 20 percent of all ballots cast in Thursday's general election could be through postal voting.
The report raised the possibility that the losing parties in tightly contested seats would appeal after the count.
A BBC reporter said Monday he had obtained the ballots of five people who had died in the cliffhanger constituency of Torbay, in southwest England, which could have been enough to deprive the Liberal Democrats of a seat in the 1997 election. The party has a majority of just 12.
Home Office Minister Mike O'Brien said there was no evidence of fraud and the new rules had not made vote-rigging easier.
Applications for postal votes expired on May 30.
Lord Wetherill told the BBC he had tabled a written question on the matter before parliament was dissolved because of constituents' concerns.
"Lord Bassam of Brighton said in his reply that the election registration officers will check applicants for postal votes are legitimate and there would be a proper declaration of identity.
"And it does appear that this is not exactly true.
"That would be a very serious matter if it was a question of abuse, of course," he said.
The BBC said that in one constituency alone, Stevenage, it is expected that up to 25,000 out of 70,000 voters will use postal ballots -- LONDON (AFP)
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