Preliminary results from Egypt's first stage of voting in parliamentary elections show Islamist parties gained the most seats.

Figures released Saturday indicate the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party came out on top in Monday and Tuesday's polling. The conservative al-Nour Salafi Islamist group appears to be in second place.

U.S.-based CNN says election officials are expected to release more results on Saturday.

On Friday, the election commissioner said there was a record voter turnout for balloting in one-third of the country's provinces this week. Voters in the remaining provinces will cast ballots in two stages that will take place in the coming weeks.

However, the election commissioner did not announce party results on Friday from the balloting for seats in parliament's lower house. He abruptly ended his news conference, citing exhaustion.

The balloting is Egypt's first voting since President Hosni Mubarak resigned in February.

After Egyptians in the remaining provinces cast ballots for the lower house, voting for parliament's upper house will begin. The entire election process will not be over until March.