United Russia Party may get 238 of the Duma`s 450 seats.

With about 96 per cent of precincts counted, United Russia was leading with 49.5 per cent of the vote, Central Election Commission chief Vladimir Churov said. He predicted that it would get 238 of the Duma's 450 seats, a sharp drop compared to the previous vote that landed the party a two-thirds majority in the State Duma, allowing it to change the constitution.

Critics said that even that United Russia performance was strongly inflated, pointing at numerous reports of ballot-stuffing and other violations. 

The socialist Just Russia and the Liberal Democratic Party led by mercurial nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky are also expected to increase their representation in the Duma, informed Ria Novosti.