Singapore President S. R. Nathan announced on Tuesday that the parliament has been dissolved to pave way for the upcoming general election.

The announcement was made on the government gazzette in the afternoon.

There will be 87 wards, three more than the 84 in the last general election in 2006, including 12 single member constituencies and 15 group representation constituencies. The group constituencies require the contesting parties to field teams of candidates.

Some 2.35 million voters are eligible to vote in the coming polls.

Singapore has been expecting the parliamentary election recently as the political parties in the country unveiled their candidates and manifestos for the polls. The ruling People's Action Party, which has more than 80 of the 84 seats in the parliament has unveiled its 24 new candidates earlier.

Local television Channel NewsAsia said six key political parties will be contesting the elections.

The general election is due by Feburary next year, but observers have tipped for it to be held in the coming weeks.