Iraq vote gives Ayad Allawi plurality

Iraq's secular former prime minister edged out Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in parliamentary vote totals released Friday, upsetting the Shiite-backed premier's re-election bid and earning the right to get the first shot at trying to form a government.

Ayad Allawi isbelieved to have won 91 seats to al-Maliki's 89. The narrow margin of victory sets the stage for months of wrangling as the veterans of Iraq's young democracy attempt to win support for a majority coalition.

The March 7 election was marred by violence, as insurgent groups targeted voters and security forces outside polling stations.More than 30people were killed on election day and at least 17 people were killed in attacks in the days leading up to the election.

The poll's complicated ballot contained some 6,200 candidates competing for 325 parliamentary seats.

The allocation of parliament seats is based on votes counted per province. The results won't be final until they are ratified by the Supreme Court.

Roughly300 al-Maliki supporters descended on the provincial council in the city centre Friday to demand a manual recount of the ballots amid allegations of fraud and vote rigging.

Within minutes of the results being released, al-Maliki appeared on a nationally televised news conference and announced he would not accept the results. Al-Maliki, who appeared with his supporters lined up behind him, said he would challenge the results through what he described as legal process.

The electoral commission has said there were no grounds for a recount.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi city north of Baghdad was hit with two bomb attacks Friday, just hours before the electoral commission began releasing election results.

Police said the bombs exploded inside a popular restaurant in Khalis, a town about 80 kilometres north of Baghdad, killingat least 40 people.

PoliceofficialSalah Mohammed said one of the explosions was a car bomb and the other involved a suicide bomber.