Vladimir Putin wins Russia's parliamentary polls

RIGGED POLLS? Election monitors have reported widespread cases of ballot fraud.

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Khabarovsk (RUSSIA): Russian President Putin's United Russia party has won the parliamentary polls in an early vote count.

First official results show Putin's party winning more than 60 per cent of the votes in Russia's election on Sunday.

Putin, who has been at the helm of the country for over eight years, wants to win a strong mandate from electors to maintain a position of influence after his second presidential term ends next May. But election monitors have reported widespread cases of ballot fraud.

More than 10 crore Russians were eligible to vote in the election which was widely being seen as a referendum on President Vladimir Putin. His United Russia party ws tipped to win an overwhelming victory.

However, opposition parties had accused the government of intimidation. Allegations that the poll could be rigged were rampant.