EIGHT complaints of election wrong-doings have been passed to police in Bradford as the district prepares to go to the polls tomorrow.

Kersten England, Bradford Council's chief executive and Returning Officer, confirmed she had asked West Yorkshire Police to see if any election rules have been broken and she also pledged the council will work closely with the Force and Electoral Commission to make sure voters can have full confidence when the results are announced.

One of the complaints being reviewed has come from Wibsey's Independent candidate Khurram (Kaz) Shehzad.

Mr Shehzad alleges Wibsey Labour councillor Ralph Berry, who is not up for re-election, has been slandering him to voters.

“It’s basically defamation of character,” he said.

Mr Shehzad has also made a second allegation about Cllr Berry’s actions while out canvassing with council leader David Green, who hopes to retain the ward seat.

Mr Shehzad alleges Cllr Berry pressured one woman to take down Mr Shehzad’s election poster by saying he had helped her family in the past.

He said: “He’s come to her and said, ‘You need to support my friend here, otherwise we won’t be helping you’.”

When the Telegraph & Argus contacted Cllr Berry about the allegations he "absolutely refuted" pressuring anyone and said: "David Green was with me and we made no such request of that lady whatsoever. I absolutely refute that. It's a democracy. People can put up any posters they like. Some people have more than one person's poster up.

He added: "I certainly have not been slandering anyone. This has turned sour because he (Shehzad) got rejected from the Labour panel of candidates and was turned down. Up until that point he was praising me on Facebook and was my friend. I don't know what's got into his head.

"I have been electioneering for 25 years and taken part in some of the most hard-fought contests in this city but I have never interfered with anyone's expression or view."

Ms England said: "Seven other complaints have been received, which are being reviewed to identify if election rules have been broken.

"We will continue to work closely with the Electoral Commission and West Yorkshire Police to support democracy in fair and transparent elections, so the public can have full confidence in the outcomes."

West Yorkshire Police was yesterday unable to give details of those other complaints except to say Mr Shehzad's complaint had been made directly to the Electoral Commission.

Bradford Council Electoral Services was also staying tight-lipped on the other seven complaints.

A spokesman said: "Where complaints are received, alleging election rules may have been broken, they are always reported and dealt with robustly by the Returning Officer and the Police to establish if any criminality has occurred.

"As we work closely together, the seven other complaints received have also been forwarded to the police, but we are unable to share details, as that could prejudice any investigation that may be undertaken."

It comes as campaign was started yesterday by the Electoral Commission and Crimestoppers to urge voters not to stand for electoral fraud in the lead up to the elections.

Returning Officers across West Yorkshire have been provided with posters for polling stations across the region and posts detailing the different types of fraud and how to report it are also being promoted on Facebook and Twitter.

An Electoral Commission investigation found there were 481 cases of alleged electoral fraud recorded by the police in the UK last year.

Tom Hawthorn, its head of policy, said: “It's important that voters have confidence in the voting process.

"Proven cases of electoral fraud remain relatively rare across the UK, but we shouldn’t underestimate the impact that fraud can have. We know from our work that it is campaigners, candidates and their supporters who commit electoral fraud and voters who are the victims."

Mark Hallas, CEO of Crimestoppers, said: “Electoral fraud is a crime and it is our duty to help bring to justice those who are responsible for it but also to help to educate the public, so that voters can recognise electoral fraud and report it if they know it’s happening.”

Thirty seats on Bradford Council - one-third of the total - are up for grabs when polling station doors open across the district.

Labour currently holds a narrow majority on the council, with the Conservatives forming the official opposition.

This year, voting also coincides with the election of a Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire.