Pro-democracy parties urged the authorities to act against "cheating" during the poll, in which the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) had already enjoyed major financial and campaigning advantages.[break]
"We have won about 80 percent of the seats. We are glad," said a senior USDP member who did not want to be named.
The vote appeared to have gone largely according to the junta´s plans but clashes between government troops and ethnic minority soldiers on Monday triggered an exodus of about 20,000 people to neighbouring Thailand.
At least three civilians were killed when heavy weapons fire hit the town of Myawaddy in Karen State, an official in Myanmar said.
Local residents said Tuesday that Democratic Karen Buddhist Army ( DKBA) rebels had retreated into surrounding forests pursued by government forces, and distant sounds of fighting were heard.
"We think the government troops are following them to try and completely destroy them," one local man said.
There was no official announcement from the junta or election officials on the vote results, but the USDP had been widely expected to sweep the poll because in many areas no pro-democracy candidates were even standing.
The army-backed party -- formed by Prime Minister Thein Sein and other former military top brass who shed their uniforms for the vote -- said turnout was more than 70 percent, despite muted activity seen at many polling stations.
Win Min, an exiled Myanmar academic, said the USDP was likely to sweep more than 82 percent of the seats to beat the crushing victory scored by the opposition in 1990 -- an outcome never recognised by the ruling generals.
Opposition parties have complained about widespread reports of irregularities, particularly with advance ballots.
"Officials need to take action against vote cheating," Than Nyein, chairman of the National Democratic Force (NDF), said.
He said the party, created by former members of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi´s National League for Democracy, so far appeared to have won only about 10 percent of the more than 160 seats it contested.
"Our country has lacked dignity in the world so we wanted to restore our pride with a fair election. I´m very sorry because these acts could further harm the dignity of our country," he said.
Thu Wai, chairman of the Democratic Party, said that when people were allowed to vote freely they had supported his party.
"But they have won with advance votes. We cannot do anything," he said.
With 25 percent of the seats in parliament reserved for military appointees whatever the outcome, the two main pro-junta parties needed to win just another 26 percent from the elected seats to secure a majority.
In many constituencies the poll was a two-way battle between the USDP and the National Unity Party (NUP), which is the successor to late dictator Ne Win´s party and also closely aligned with the military.
US President Barack Obama led international criticism of the vote.
"It is unacceptable to steal an election, as the regime in Burma (Myanmar) has done again for all the world to see," he said in a speech to the Indian parliament on Monday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the vote "insufficiently inclusive, participatory and transparent", his spokesman said.
Myanmar´s southeast Asian neighbours, however, welcomed the poll as a "significant step forward".
"ASEAN encourages Myanmar to continue to accelerate the process of national reconciliation and democratisation, for stability and development in the country," chair Vietnam said in a statement.
After the election, attention was turning to whether the regime will release Suu Kyi on Saturday, when her current term of house arrest is due to end.
The democracy icon has been detained for most of the past 20 years and her party boycotted the poll, saying the rules were unfair.
China praises much-criticised Myanmar election
China´s one-party government applauded the military junta in ally Myanmar on Tuesday for holding a weekend election that has been roundly criticised by the United States and others as a sham.
"This is a critical step for Myanmar in implementing the seven-step road map in the transition to an elected government, and thus is welcome," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.
He said the election had been carried out in a "steady and smooth manner."
With democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi still locked up, opposition leaders reported widespread complaints of intimidation and other irregularities.
"It is unacceptable to steal an election, as the regime in Burma (Myanmar) has done again for all the world to see," US President Barack Obama said in a speech to the Indian parliament on Monday.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the vote "insufficiently inclusive, participatory and transparent", his spokesman said.
China is a key supplier of arms to Myanmar, its southern neighbour, and a buyer of its natural resources.
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