The Conservative Party could mount a legal challenge over the General Election after it emerged thousands of postal ballots have not been delivered on time

The General Election could be hit by a series of legal challenges after it emerged that thousands of postal ballots have not been delivered on time.

At least 13 constituencies have been affected by the fiasco, eight of which are marginal seats.

The crisis has been caused by councils not printing enough ballot papers and Royal Mail not delivering on time, it is claimed.

One Tory source raised the prospect of wholesale legal challenges after polling day: ‘The main thing to remember is, in most constituencies, Conservatives do better on the postal votes.

‘So this is likely to be disproportionately more damaging to the Tories than anyone else.’

It has emerged that thousands of postal votes have not been delivered on time

Other parties could also mount challenges, the source added.

‘What could happen is that all sorts of results could be challenged. We could end up with a complete mess after the General Election, with people questioning the results.’

Chingford & Woodford Green, where former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith is defending a wafer-thin majority of 1,262, is one of the affected constituencies, sources claim.

Yesterday he urged both Royal Mail and local councils to take action, saying: ‘We are demanding they act immediately.’

Waltham Forest Council, which is within the constituency, said: ‘Our postal votes were sent out on time, before the deadline. If anyone is having any problems, please contact us as early as possible and we will try to resolve it.’

At least 2,600 postal votes were sent out late in North West Essex, where Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, is standing. 

Some postal voters in Rutland and Stamford – where Tory Alicia Kearns is standing – have yet to receive their ballot papers.

The council, however, insisted that it issued the postal votes ‘on time’ to Royal Mail.

Six affected seats are in Scotland, where the school term ends earlier than elsewhere in the UK. Some voters went on holiday abroad before their postal ballots arrived.

Chingford & Woodford Green, where former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith  (pictured) is defending a wafer-thin majority of 1,262, is one of the affected constituencies

At least 2,600 postal votes were sent out late in North West Essex, where Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch (pictured) is standing

Some postal voters in Rutland and Stamford – where Tory Alicia Kearns (pictured) is standing – have yet to receive their ballot papers

Cathy Bloor, from Aberdeenshire, told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 that she had not received her postal vote before going away and cannot now vote.

‘I’ve voted in General Elections all my life and to miss this one just makes me quite upset,’ she said. ‘I just feel like I’ve really missed out.’

Edinburgh and Fife councils have set up emergency voting booths so that postal voters who have not received their ballots can vote in person.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: ‘Where concerns have been raised, such as in Scotland, we have investigated and confirmed all votes are being delivered as soon as they enter our network.’