Chandrika's party leads tally in Lankan elections

The general election was called to resolve political instability in Sri Lanka has not entirely solved the problem as no party has got a majority.

No party managed to cross the magic number of 113 needed to enjoy an absolute majority in the 225-member legislature, pointing to either a minority government or a shaky coalition.

After the results were released on Sunday, President Chandrika Kumaratunga's party emerged as the single largest group with 105 seats in the 225-member Sri Lankan parliament.

A minority government would only complicate the faltering peace process with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a bone of contention between Kumaratunga and her arch rival Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Friday's election was fought mainly over the handling of the peace process.

Also Read Sri Lankan poll unlikely to resolve leadership tussle

Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) came second with 82 seats while the third place went to proxies of the LTTE who bagged 22 seats, the Election Commission said.

Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance won 4.22 million votes, or 45.60 per cent of the total votes polled, in an election held under a system of proportional representation. Wickremesinghe's UNP got 3.5 million votes or 37.83 per cent of the votes.

Nine seats went to a party of all-clergy Buddhist monks while a Muslim party bagged five seats and two Tamil parties got one each.

The official results were announced after election officials decided not to conduct a re-poll in two districts where irregularities were alleged.