The presidential election in Senegal came to an end on Sunday without major incidents reported despite fears of clash over outgoing President Abdoulaye Wade's candidacy.

The polls were held largely on schedule, opened on 8:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) and closed at 6:00 p.m. (1800 GMT).

According to the electoral commission, 88.93 percent of the 11, 904 polling stations across the West African country opened on time, 99.32 percent of staff were in place for the vote and 99.35 percent of stations readied electoral materials.

"In 95.8 percent (of the polling stations), there were representatives of the candidates and, in 98.45 percent, there were voters on time," Issa Sall of the commission told Xinhua on telephone.

The election fielded Wade against 13 challengers including two ex-prime ministers.

Meanwhile, international observers hailed the massive turnout and calm of the election. "I see on one part what is very joyful, that is, the Senegalese came on masse. Already before the opening of the polling stations, they were there. They were awaiting their turn calmly," Thijs Berman, member of the European Parliament and the chief of the EU mission of observers told Xinhua.

There are more than 5,000 national and international observers in Senegal, including those from the 15-member West African bloc ECOWAS, the African Union and the European Union.

Seven people have been reportedly killed since the Senegalese Constitutional Council validated the candidacy of Wade, who was elected in 2000 and reelected in 2007. His opponents accuse him of attempting a third seven-year mandate in violation of the Constitution, which limits the presidency to two terms.

The council ruled, however, the new Constitution was not in place when Wade was first elected. Clashes followed the ruling late last month and ran through the three weeks of the election campaigns.

Speculation is running high that the opposition would counter the results if Wade turns out a winner in the disputed race. Many fear that the vote may plunge the country into chaos after years of stability and democracy, which has been rated the best, since its independence from France in 1960.