Sri Lanka heads for contested election result

He said the statement from Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake was a mere "opinion" that would be challenged in the Supreme Court.

The winner was set to be announced around midday on Wednesday. The first inconclusive results from the counting of postal votes in some parts of the country began to trickle out late Tuesday.

As ruling party lawmakers took to the airwaves to attack him earlier Tuesday, Fonseka said he had sent papers to be registered at the time the last electoral roll was made in June 2008 and could not explain his omission.

"My name is not on the 2008 register and therefore I cannot vote at this election," Fonseka told AFP. "The government is trying to use this to mislead the public at the last minute."

Rajapakse as commander-in-chief and Fonseka, his army commander, defeated Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels together in May last year, ending a 37-year separatist conflict that left 80,000-100,000 people dead.

The military campaign, which has since been mired in war crimes allegations, made both men national heroes in the eyes of the Sinhalese-majority electorate.

But from close allies on the battlefield they became irreconcilable enemies after Fonseka, a political novice, decided to challenge his 64-year-old former boss at the ballot box on an anti-corruption platform.

The vitriolic nature of the campaign, coupled with warnings of protests, fraud and possible coups, had already raised fears that the loser might reject the result, leading to more unrest.

"If there is a war, we will face it," Fonseka said on Monday, referring to the opposition's willingness to resist with street protests if the government tried to go against the will of the people.

Rajapakse has ruled Sri Lanka since 2005. During the conflict, the US and the European Union cut off aid because of alleged human rights abuses, meaning he leant on China, Iran and Libya as well as other Asian nations for cash and arms.

His three brothers and other family members are in key government positions including the ministries of defence and ports.

The government has denied any human right abuses during the fight against the Tigers.

Sri Lanka's Constitution stipulates that the president must be above 30 years of age and be a Sri Lankan citizen.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said the Supreme Court had already rejected a legal challenge to an elected official on the basis that he had not voted.

"The Supreme Court has said you can contest without casting a vote as recently as last December in regional elections," he said, commenting on the furore before the government made its announcement.

"This is the last desperate attempt to seek to turn the tide towards Rajapakse," he said

Ahead of the election, Fonseka alleged the government would intimidate voters and was preparing a coup if it lost. He has been accused in turn of working with a militia of army deserters to disrupt the ballot.

Shortly before the government made its announcement, Wickremesinghe gave an upbeat press conference at which he expressed confidence that Fonseka would win comfortably after a strong turnout.

"There was a high poll (turnout) and that will ensure that Sarath Fonseka will be president," he told reporters.