ST PETERSBURG, December 27 (Itar-Tass) — The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation (CCRF) has recognized as constitutional the norms of the law on the status of the State Duma Member, on the strength of which the lower house of parliament earlier unseated Gennady Gudkov, a member of "A Just Russia" Party (JRP).
At the same time the Court ruled that the State Duma decision about an early termination of the Member's credentials and immunities may be appealed against at the Supreme Court of the RF (SCRF). In the process, pending the court ruling's entering into force, the ex-parliamentarian retains immunity and, if his complaint is granted, he should be reinstated in the status of House Member.
"The said guarantees must be sealed in the legislation," the CCRF ruling points out.
Gudkov's complaint about his being unseated is currently in the SCRF which is to examine it on January 16, 2013.
On September 14, the State Duma stripped Gennady Gudkov, deputy head of the House faction of the JRP, of his credentials in view of his engaging in business activities, which is incompatible with the status of parliamentarian.
On the eve of that decision of the State Duma, House members from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the JRP, among them the leaders of the factions, Gennady Zyuganov and Sergei Mironov, had referred an interpellation to the Constitutional Court about the norms on the status of the Federation Council and State Duma Member, on the strength of which Gudkov's unseating became possible. The CCRF session to scrutinize the issue was held on November 20.