MOSCOW’S election headquarters is set to recount all electronic votes cast in the Russian capital last weekend after opposition parties alleged that the election had been rigged in favour of the ruling United Russia party.

Business newspaper Kommersant reported on Wednesday that the process would not have a legal basis but would be a “reconciliation of results” after complaints about the parliamentary election were received.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the second-largest party in the State Duma, had already refused to recognise the outcome in Moscow, citing allegations of fraud.

Results in the capital were reported later than in other regions, with the final tally changing dramatically once electronic votes had been counted, tipping the balance in favour of the United Russia candidate in a number of areas.

Communist candidate Mikhail Lobanov held a 10,000-vote lead before the online ballots were counted, which then put his opponent ahead by 20,000 votes. “I know this result is impossible,” he said.

Party general secretary Gennady Zyuganov said that it amounted to “a hack” and called for an immediate investigation, adding: “This can’t be allowed to stand, especially in our nation’s capital.”

The communists achieved their best results in decades, reversing a trend of decline to win just under 19 per cent of the vote, given them 48 of the 450 seats in the Russian parliament.

While the party cemented its position as Russia’s main opposition, the advance was not enough to deny United Russia, which supports President Vladimir Putin, a so-called supermajority.

The results have been condemned by the European Union and the United States. But Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised the “competitiveness, openness and fairness” of the election.