The traditional biraderi system, whereby people vote on family and caste lines within the Asian community continues to effect voting patterns. But the influence maybe waning among British Pakistanis and Bangladeshi’s says an extensive study by into voting patterns by the Electoral Commission.

Female Pakistani and Bangladeshi voters are were also feeling more and more disenfranchised whilst the study noted that Political parties continue to accept the biraderi system.

The studies found that ‘voters in some British Pakistani and British Bangladeshi communities can be unsure where to report concerns about electoral fraud and ‘low levels of literacy or a lack of English skills can exacerbate electoral fraud vulnerabilities.’ The watchdog has published two research reports - by NatCen and academics at the universities of Manchester and Liverpool - and a briefing paper on electoral fraud, fulfilling a commitment it made as part of its review of electoral fraud last year.

The Commission also laid out what is being done to prevent electoral fraud ahead of the May elections, including work by Returning Officers, the police and Crimestoppers.

During this review the Commission heard anecdotal evidence and views that raised questions about whether fraud was more likely to be committed by, or in support of, candidates standing for election in areas which are largely or predominantly populated by people from British Pakistani or British Bangladeshi communities.

This raised concerns about whether people in these communities were able effectively to exercise their right to vote and participate in elections on the same basis as other voters in the UK.

As a result, the watchdog commissioned further research with members of the public and political activists in eight demographically similar areas; four with histories of allegations or actual instances of fraud and four without.

The study, ‘Elections, voting and electoral fraud: An exploratory study focusing on British Pakistanis and Bangladeshis’ says, “Participants did not believe that British Pakistani or Bangladeshi groups or their locality were any more vulnerable to electoral fraud than any other group.

“Factors underpinning vulnerability to electoral fraud do not exclusively affect British Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities. Other communities may experience similar influences.

"The study findings suggest a complex intertwining of contextual, cultural, and practical electoral process factors that can create vulnerabilities to electoral fraud.

"The findings suggest that the greater the number of factors present in an area, the greater the potential risk of electoral fraud."

There was also, "Low levels of literacy and a lack of English language skills created barriers to political participation and understanding UK electoral processes. This was particularly true for older British Pakistani and Bangladeshi voters, new migrants, and especially women."

The study claims, "Postal votes were considered to be particularly open to electoral fraud, due to a higher risk to voter secrecy and voter control over casting their own vote compared with voting at the polling station. In Higher Risk areas, participants reported campaigners encouraging voters to register to vote using this method and providing support with applying for, completing, and returning a postal vote."

The study found that there was “Pressure by Pakistani biraderi or Bangladeshi brath-thitho networks to vote for a candidate.

This pressure combined with persistent campaign activity made people feel obligated to vote in a particular way.

The report found that, "In Higher Risk areas, particularly in the context of living in deprived areas with few opportunities, along with the need to negotiate perceived structural racism, community based allegiances and networks could be used to obtain status or power, and to take advantage of associated opportunities.

"Community allegiances were negotiated and affirmed through biraderi networks within British Pakistani communities and brath-thitho networks among British Bangladeshi groups.

"Biraderi/brath-thitho politics were salient for older groups, especially men in the Higher Risk areas. However, the influence of these networks on voting decision appeared to be weakening among British born Pakistani and Bangladeshi people. As a consequence, voting behaviours and the electoral vulnerabilities associated with cultural obligations may change over time."

The second study ‘Understanding electoral fraud vulnerability in Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin communities in England: A view of local political activists’ was based on 37 interviews1 with local community and political activists in single electoral wards in eight local authorities across England selected to represent those areas where electoral fraud has been alleged or proven, and those areas where there were no serious allegations of fraud.

The report found that “Pakistani- and Bangladeshi-origin communities in England share a wide range of vulnerabilities, which may make them susceptible to becoming victims of electoral fraud.

It identified seven main sources of vulnerability to fraud: language and knowledge barriers, community loyalties and pressures; kinship networks; lack of mainstream political party engagement; discrimination in candidate selection; insufficiency of safeguards for voting procedures and finally local economic deprivation.”

The analysis strongly indicated that the primary source of this influence of kinship networks in politics lies in the lack of mainstream political party activity in the areas of concentration of Pakistani and Bangladeshi voters, confirming the finding from the 2010 Ethnic Minority British Election Study.

“This political void is filled by the ethnic kinship networks, which perform a role of a mediator between the British electoral system and immigrant-origin communities.

“Mainstream political parties were deemed by our interviewees to be only too happy to accept this middle-man role of kinship networks, which confirms much of the academic literature since the 1980s.”

“Increasingly, female and young members of Pakistani- and Bangladeshi-origin communities in Britain raise issue with the role of the ethnic networks in their voting decision and some may feel outright disenfranchised.”

Interviewees felt that voting by post is ‘intrinsically unsafe and some had additional concerns around the ease with which personation could take place, through an informal approach to voting for others instead applying for a proxy vote.’ But a generational change offers the main hope for the future of electoral integrity, ‘with many younger people of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin reported to be resisting the influence of their ethnic kinship networks, although some worries about youth disengagement threatened to undermine this mechanism for change.’ Jenny Watson, Chair of the Electoral Commission, said: "Proven cases of electoral fraud remain rare, but it is important that no-one underestimates how serious it is when it does occur.

“We have long known that, when fraud is committed, candidates and campaigners are the most likely offenders and voters are the victims. The research we have published today confirms this.

“The research also provides a useful insight into some of the particular issues faced by voters in some British Pakistani and British Bangladeshi communities, and how these can be tackled.

“Although clear plans are in place to prevent and detect fraud ahead of the elections, there is also a challenge to campaigners. They must ensure their behaviour builds trust with all voters, and all those involved in elections must make it a priority to communicate what is and what is not acceptable behaviour at election time.

"As we approach the election, it’s important that anyone who has evidence of electoral fraud reports it to the police in their area, or, if they want to do so anonymously, contact Crimestoppers."