Thousands of Gravesham voters have received letters from the president of Gravesend's Gurdwara after concerns were raised that people were feeling pressured into voting by post.

The letter, written in both English and Punjabi and paid for by a local businessman, was distributed by president Davinder Singh Bains and the executive committee at the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara, after claims campaigners allegedly harassed constituents with poor English skills into registering a vote in their favour.

News Shopper: Davinder Singh Bains is Gravesend Gurdwara's new president.

Gurdwara president Davinder Singh Bains.

The Gurdwara’s letter has since been posted on the Facebook page of Conservative parliamentary candidate Adam Holloway.

It says: "At the Elections on May 7, we all want the voices of people in our community in Gravesham to be heard, and that we all vote for whichever party we choose to support.

"Whether that be Liberal Democrat, Labour, Conservative, Green, UKIP - or to not vote at all.

"Voting by Post is one way of voting, and is a good thing if it encourages more people to vote.

"However, you will know that over the last couple of years young men have gone from door-to-door in highly organised efforts to sign-up Sikhs here in Gravesham to Vote by Post.

"I am writing to remind you that in order for your voice to be heard, no one else should tell you how to vote or take your vote away from you.

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"It is for you to decide who you want in charge in Gravesham and our country: it is not for people who want elected office to decide for us.

"So please use your vote for whoever you want, to make your voice heard – but do not allow anyone to steal your vote from you."

News Shopper: Gravesend MP Adam Holloway was also in attendance at the meeting.

Adam Holloway

Mr Holloway added: "I am very glad they did that and support them all the way.

"I would also have supported them if it was Conservative candidates indulging in such murky practises."

Police have confirmed they are making inquiries into the allegations. A spokesman said: "Police have received some information and it is currently being assessed."

A Gravesham council spokesman said: "Two complaints have been received. To put this into context, there are over 15,000 registered electors who have requested postal votes."

"In relation to the two complaints, we do not have any investigatory powers in respect of alleged electoral offences so the complainants were provided with the full contact details of the Kent Police officer assigned to deal with allegations of electoral offences."

News Shopper: Cllr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi hopes to be Labour's victorious candidate in 2015.

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

Labour's parliamentary candidate Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi told News Shopper that he had 'no issue' with the letter which was reinforcing a message put out in a letter sent out last month by the Labour party, also in English and Punjabi.