A Redbridge councillor charged with electoral fraud has pleaded not guilty and elected for trial by jury.

Chaudhary Mohammed Iqbal, the Labour councillor for Loxford, is accused of “making false statements in candidate nomination papers” during the 2018 local election, police said.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson revealed the charges “relate to false declarations by Iqbal regarding his address”.

Local councillors must be registered to vote in the area they represent or have lived, worked or owned property there for at least a year before the election.

The Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “Iqbal was interviewed under caution on 19 September and subsequently charged as above on 27 March.”

A council spokesperson confirmed previously that Cllr Iqbal was still serving as a councillor.

He is due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on June 19.

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