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Duma Council turns down draft which demands Churov's resignation

The authors of the draft -KPRF, LDPR and A Just Russia party, submitted a draft resolution on no-confidence in Churov to the Duma on Tuesda

MOSCOW, January 26 (Itar-Tass) — The Duma Council has refused to include the Lower House’s draft, which demanded the resignation of Chairman of the Central Election Commission Vladimir Churov, into the agenda of the Duma session due on January 27, leader of A Just Russia party Sergei Mironov told journalists Thursday.

The Duma's Council wanted to return the draft to the authors, but the authors have convinced their colleagues that the document should not be returned, Mironov said. "It will not be included into the Duma agenda on Friday. But it will be discussed on Friday after an Hour of the Government debate, Mironov said. "A version of the draft might be discussed, but the United Russia will take out all the essence of the opposition’s proposals," Mironov said.

On Wednesday the Duma's Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Construction ruled "unconstitutional’ the opposition's demand to express no confidence in Churov in a special statement. The Committee said the draft does not conform to the Russian Constitution and the federal laws. It suggested that the Duma Council should return the draft to it authors "to bring it in line with the Russian legislation".

The authors of the draft -KPRF, LDPR and A Just Russia party, submitted a draft resolution on no-confidence in Churov to the Duma on Tuesday. They demanded that Churov should step down from his post in the CEC. They also demanded that election commissions of all levels should be formed a new, on the principle of party representation. Earlier, the Duma opposition had repeatedly demanded Churov's resignation.

Churov was invited to take part in the Hour of the Government debate in the State Duma on January 27 which would concentrate on Duma election held last December. Head of the Russian Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev and Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika will also attend.

Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin explained that the Duma Council decided it was logical first to hear what Churov has to say and then listen to SK Chief Alexander Bastrykin, Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev and Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika. Then, taking into account the results of their reports the MPs should make a decision on this problem together, Naryshkin suggested. Asked when the draft might be discussed, Naryshkin said it might be done at one of next Duma sessions.

"An Hour of the Government debate will be a central problem at the Duma session tomorrow to which the CEC chief, interior minister, Chief of the investigation committee (SK) and prosecutor general were invited. I think this debate will be important for subsequent election campaigns," Naryshkin stressed.

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