HAVING witnessed the verification of postal vote ballot papers in Blackburn Town Hall I am appalled at the tone of criticism laid against Philip Watson, the Returning officer by the Conservative party (LET, June 6).

Mr Watson, Mrs Linda Harling, the senior electoral registration officer and their staff were under intense pressure dealing with the issue of 10,967 Parliamentary and 13,366 local authority postal ballot papers (I believe about eight times the normal demand) in a very short space of time due to a situation outside their control and despite this were most courteous, efficient and accommodating in dealing with inquiries relating to electoral procedure.

Every possible effort was made to validate every postal vote unless it had to be mandatorily rejected under electoral law. Minor discrepancies, e.g. Parliamentary ballot paper accompanying municipal witness's declaration and vice versa, husband's ballot paper with wife's declaration and vice versa, ballot paper with correct declaration but ballot paper envelope missing did not lead to rejected votes.

Although not obliged to do so the Town Hall staff wrote to all applicants whose postal vote applications missed the deadline to indicate they may vote in person. A special procedure was established to accept properly witnessed postal votes submitted by anyone at polling station up to close of poll.

I believe that the Conservative Party tried to use this as a smoke screen to hide its ineptitude in coping with the resulting minor difficulties that this initiative has presented.

MICHAEL POULTNEY, Welbeck Avenue, Blackburn.