Partial results from Iraq's parliamentary election will be released on Thursday, the country's electoral commission said on Wednesday.

"The counting is taking place normally (and) there is no problem," said Hamdiya al-Husseini. "Partial results will be announced tomorrow."

Asked when final results from the Sunday poll would be ready, Husseini said "we are working normally but we cannot say when we will declare the final results."

The commission has already announced that partial results would be announced once at least 30 percent of ballots had been counted.

Husseini's remarks were confirmed by Ad Melkert, the special United Nations envoy, at a news conference.

"Tomorrow there will be a preliminary result," Melkert said.

"I think it's fair to say the world has been impressed by the professional way that these elections have taken place," he said.

"And that is why it is very important that the announcement of the preliminary results will be accepted by all, knowing that this is not yet the final result, but also understanding that it's an honest counting."

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a Shiite who helped ease the country's deadly sectarian strife, emerged on Monday as the front-runner, according to estimates AFP obtained from officials across the country.

But he could yet face a tough battle to cling to power after the vote saw millions defy bomb, mortar and rocket attacks, which killed 38 people, to cast their ballots.

Estimates of early trends in the Baghdad region, which with its 70 parliamentary seats could swing the result of the vote, were not yet available.

But officials said Monday that Maliki's political bloc was leading the count in nine of Iraq's 18 provinces.

His State of Law Alliance was ahead in Shiite regions, while Iyad Allawi, a former premier who heads the secular Iraqiya list, led in Sunni areas, according to estimates AFP obtained from officials across the country.

The other leading list is the Iraq National Alliance, dominated by two Shiite religious parties — the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council and the movement of radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr, who led two uprisings against US troops.

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