Tower Hamlets poll count inadequate: UK EC

The Electoral Commission in the UK has found that the mayoral, local and European elections in May in Tower Hamlets in London were poorly resourced. The east London borough’s election count took more than five days to complete and is facing a High Court challenge. British-Bangladeshi Mayor Lutfur Rahman of the Tower Hamlets First party retained his seat in that poll. Tower Hamlets, which has a large Bangladeshi population, has been the scene of fractious election disputes since Rahman swept to power in 2010 and formed a cabinet made up entirely of Bangladesh origins. The EC probe was opened after local Conservative and Labour politicians claimed to have witnessed heavy-handed tactics and intimidation at polling stations in the borough. The EC has ordered that all election officials and agents only speak English in future to prevent suspicion of wrongdoing. In a report, EC said it found that Tower Hamlets' poll count was inadequately resourced and poorly organised. It suggested that the election agent John Williams should publish a plan for next year's general election before December. The EC report described gatherings by Rahman’s supporters in their hundreds, and disorder among counters, agents and observers during the polls. However, it did not address many of the serious allegations because of the pending High Court petition. In June, the Red Flag Anti-Corruption Party moved the UK High Court for the mayoral election in Tower Hamlets to be held again, according to bdnews24.com.