President Chandrika Kumaratunga is ahead of her main opponent in Sri Lanka's presidential election, according to early results.

With votes counted in about one-third of the constituencies, Mrs Kumaratunga - who survived an assassination attempt during her final election rally - is projected to take 51% of the vote, with opposition candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe on 42%.

About three-quarters of Sri Lanka's 11.7 million voters took part in the poll, which was marred by violence and allegations of misconduct.

An overnight curfew was enforced after at least six people were killed in election-related violence, but this has now been lifted.

Election monitors say they are still investigating allegations of vote-rigging and intimidation by party activists, especially in the central areas of the island.

They said there were 500 fraud complaints from across the country,

Thousands of security personnel were deployed to keep the peace, with armed police guarding polling booths

President Kumaratunga did not cast her vote in her home constituency. She was permitted to cast her vote in her heavily guarded official residence, having only been discharged from hospital on Monday after being treated for shrapnel injuries.

There was speculation that Mrs Kumaratunga would benefit from a sympathy vote following her narrow escape.

But Mr Wickremesinghe said he did not believe the impact would be significant, and the president's supporters said she would have won anyway.

However, the president does not look likely to repeat her success of five years ago, when she swept to power with 62% of the vote.

Ending the war

Mrs Kumaratunga and Mr Wickremesinghe have both promised to boost the economy and end the 16-year war with the Tamil Tigers, who are fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in the country's north and east.

In a televised address after her release from hospital, the president said all communities should join hands "in a massive effort to take forward the process of wiping out terrorism and re-establishing peace and democracy".

The assassination attempt at the weekend was one of two bomb attacks which are being blamed on the Tamil Tiger rebels. The other was aimed at an opposition rally.

At least 35 people were killed and more than 100 injured.

Although not all Tamils support the rebels' methods, many sympathise with their demand for a separate homeland in the north of the country.