The ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) was taking the lead in the May 15 parliamentary elections with 271 seats it secured, three seats short of securing majority, according to preliminary election results issued Saturday evening.

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said in a statement that the Coalition for Unity and Democracy and the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces, the country's two major opposition parties, were in second and third places with 110 and 48 seats respectively.

It said it has received preliminary results of 457 of a total of 524 constituencies.

The statement said the board has put in its database the preliminary poll results it received until 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) Saturday after scrutiny. More results were expected to be reportedto NEBE on Sunday.

The latest preliminary results have shown that the ruling partyneeds three more to win another five-year term, observers say. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi-led EPRDF has been in power for 14 years since 1991.

The preliminary results are based on vote counting that took place at the 34,000-strong polling stations in the country. The final official results will be released by NEBE after it investigates any complaints made about the vote counting.

NEBE is responsible for the administration, conduct and supervision of all elections in Ethiopia's federal and state constituencies. It is scheduled to announce the final official results on June 8.

Ethiopians went to poll on May 15 in the country's two separateelections to elect representatives to the House of People's Representatives and eight regional councils. Elections in southeastern Somali state will take place in August.

Ethiopia has a two-house parliament: the 110-seat upper House of the Federation and the 547-seat lower House of People's Representatives.

Source: Xinhua