ANKARA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Parliament on Friday failed to elect the country's new president in the first round presidential voting.

    The only candidate, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who was nominated by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), received 357 votes, 10 votes short of the367 majority required in the 550-seat parliament.

    A total of 361 MPs cast their votes in the first round of elections at the chamber. Three votes were invalid and one vote was vacant.

    According to a timetable set by the parliament, the second round voting will be held on May 2, the third round on May 9 and the final round will be held on May 15.

    If Gul does not garner the required two-thirds majority of 367 votes in the second round of voting, he will be elected in a third round of voting where 276 votes will be sufficient since the Islamic-rooted AKP holds the majority in the parliament with 353 lawmakers.

    "Mr. Abdullah Gul has got votes above our expectations," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after the voting.

    "I am hopeful that we may get 367 votes in the second round. And I am pleased that today's round was completed properly," he added.

    Speaking to reporters at the parliament, Gul, a close ally of Erodgan, thanked all parliamentarians who attended the voting and "contributed to democracy."

    The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), which decided to boycott the voting, on Friday applied to the Constitutional Court to cancel the election since the parliament convened with less than 367 lawmakers to elect the president. However, the ruling party insists only one-third of lawmakers are needed.

    The court has said it will try to rule on the appeal as soon as possible. The court with eleven judges takes decisions by a simple majority vote. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, a staunch secularist, appointed the majority of the current judges.

    If the court upholds the CHP's appeal, it will open the way foran early parliamentary elections.