The Ethiopian national electoral board said on Sunday evening that the parliamentary elections due to end in the afternoon have been extended by three or fours hours in some areas because of a high turnout.

"The election is scheduled to close at 6 p.m. (1500 GMT), but voters, especially in Addis Ababa, lined up in long queues waiting to vote," said Getahun Amogne, an official with the electoral board.

"We're extending voting time in many areas three to four hours, so all voters will be given the chance to vote even after the official close time," Getahun told Xinhua, stressing that no voters will be denied their rights to vote.

Up to 25.6 million of Ethiopia's 74 million people have registered to vote at 38,000 polling stations in the May 15 poll. Thirty-six political parties will vie for seats in the 547-seat Council of People's Representatives.

Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) is widely expected to win a third five- year term, but observers say the ruling party's parliamentary majority may dwindle under challenges from opposition candidates.

Sunday's contest is the third one in Ethiopia since the EPRDF came to power in 1991 and the first to be held with international observers.

Getahun said the results of each constituency will come out one by one from May 18 to 21, after adding up all the polling stations ' results which are expected to be revealed gradually starting from Monday.

According to him, the constituencies' results will be only provisional, because they are at the constituent level, and final official outcome will be announced June 8 at national level by the electoral board chairman.