The government's plans for a big extension of postal voting in the June elections have been queried by the Electoral Commission.

The Commons yesterday voted to reverse a Lords move to block postal trials in two additional areas in the June 10 elections for London, local councils and the European parliament, even though the elections watchdog suggested that postal elections on such a large scale might pose risks.

Sam Younger, the commission chairman, said in a letter that the "rollout of all postal elections needs to be underpinned by a more robust statutory framework".