Tense Sri Lanka votes

Sri Lankans were voting Friday in parliamentary elections called to resolve a power struggle between the president and prime minister, which has cast a shadow over faltering attempts to end ethnic bloodshed.

Also Read Poll may not solve leadership tussle

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was one of the first to vote, expressed hopes of returning to power to pursue his internationally backed peace bid aimed at ending three decades of fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels.

"I am certain people will vote for peace," Wickremesinghe said as he cast his ballot at a polling booth near his home in Colombo. "I am confident of securing a majority of seats."

However, most opinion polls have pointed to a hung parliament with neither Wickremesinghe's United National Party nor President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Freedom Alliance expected to win an outright majority in the 225-member legislature.

Kumaratunga called the polls after disagreement with Wickremesinghe over his handling of the peace bid with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Kumaratunga dismissed the legislature controlled by the PM after accusing him of risking national security by granting too many concessions to the Tigers.

The Tigers are not contesting the election but have openly backed proxies who are expected to do well. In a close fight between the leftist FA and the rightwing UNP, the Tiger proxies are expected to emerge kingmakers.

Kumaratunga was due to vote at her home constituency in the district of Gampaha, outside Colombo.

The president said she had made arrangements to step up security and ensure a free and fair poll.

"The police and the armed forces have taken all measures to ensure a free and fair election and to maintain law and order," she said in a message broadcast on national radio and television Friday.

"Every one of you can go to the polls without fear and freely use your precious vote. Some political groups may attempt to cause fear in order to prevent you from going to vote. I wish to reassure you not to be deterred by these various rumours and attempts."

Polling booths are open for nine hours for voters to cast their ballots and elect Sri Lanka's 13th parliament since independence from Britain in 1948, officials said.

They said queues had formed outside polling booths even before they could open under tight security by armed police.

Balloting was underway in 10,400 polling booths across the country to elect the 225-member legislature from among a record 6,024 candidates representing 24 political parties and 192 independent groups.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickremaratne said they had deployed at least two armed constables at each polling booth and the military was at the disposal of the police in case of trouble.

Voting was not taking place in rebel-held areas of the northeast, but the authorities had set up booths near the de-facto frontlines, officials said. The Tigers had arranged to bus in voters from their areas to vote.

Officials said thousands of troops had been deployed in the provinces to help reinforce the police, but they will not be directly involved in election-related duties.

Some 12.89 million Sri Lankans are eligible to vote in the election, which has been turned by political parties into a referendum on the country's Norwegian-led peace process with Tigers.