MOSCOW, Nov. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- The United Russia Party is taking a big lead in Sunday's parliamentary poll in Chechnya, the Chechen Election Commission said on Monday.

    The United Russia Party garnered 61 percent of the votes as of 10:00 a.m. (0700 GMT), far ahead of the other parties in the poll, the Itar-Tass news agency reported, citing the Election Commission's preliminary results.

    The Russian Communist Party came second with 17 percent of the votes and the Union of Right-wing Forces third with 11 percent, Itar-Tass said.

    A total of 600,000 voters were registered in Chechnya for the polls, which will elect 58 deputies to the bicameral parliament --the Republican Council (upper house) and the People's Assembly (lower house).

    Chechen Election Commission Chairman Ismail Baikhanov put voter turnout at 66 percent.

    As the fourth vote in the region since 2003, which came after two presidential elections and one constitutional referendum, this parliamentary poll will give Chechnya a full set of government bodies to enable the region to function as a normal part of the Russian state after years of conflict.

    President Vladimir Putin has said the election is a "milestone" that will boost stability in the war-ravaged republic and the whole North Caucasus region. Enditem