ADDIS ABABA, June 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) said Monday it has begun investigating appeals submitted by contesting political parties on 299 constituencies over election irregularities.

    NEBE Chairman Kemal Bedri told journalists that election and legal experts of the board are sorting out appeals and complaints submitted by political parties that contested in the May 15 parliamentary elections.

    Kemal also said that investigation committees, to be formed by representatives of the board, international observers as well as the parties themselves, will start investigating appeals of contesting parties by the end of the week.

    According to Kemal, up to ten investigating committees could be formed while the number of the committees and members would be decided based on the nature and magnitude of the complaints.

    The chairman said the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF), the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) are among the political parties that submitted appeals to the board.

    The ruling EPRDF party, led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, retained control of parliament according to official election results that have not yet been ratified, but CUD and other opposition parties alleged there was widespread election fraud.

    Concerning the execution capacity of the board, Kemal said that though complaints have been submitted from close to half of the constituencies, it would not be possible to say that illegal activities were committed in all places.

    Re-run elections would be possible only if the illegal activities indicated on the appeals would have affected the result of the election during the investigation, he said.

    The board has already rescheduled its timetable to declare the final result on July 8, he said.

    Ethiopians went to poll on May 15 in the country's two separate elections to elect representatives to the House of People's Representatives and eight regional councils. Provisional results show the ruling party has so far won 302 seats and its allies won 26 in the 547-seat lower house of parliament. Opposition parties won 194 seats. Enditem¡¡