MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) will not announce the final results of the March 18 presidential election until it considers all the irregularities complaints, CEC Chair Ella Pamfilova said at a Civic Chamber seminar on Tuesday.
"The Central Election Commission has decided to announce the official results of the election after we have considered all complaints that concern possible irregularities," she said.
Pamfilova also said that she had asked presidential candidates and the political parties that had nominated them to report all the possible irregularities. "In order to prevent speculations and talks about the election being unfair or something, I have provided them with the opportunity to present serious complaints. We will promptly consider them and take necessary steps, even cancel voting results presented by certain local election commissions, we will even go to court if necessary," Pamfilova noted. "We want to promptly consider all complaints so that no mudslinging and speculations are possible when the official election outcome is announced," she added.
The Russian presidential election took place on March 18. According to preliminary results, incumbent head of state Vladimir Putin has won the election, receiving 76.66% of the vote with 99.84% of the ballots counted. Voter turnover was 67.74%. Pamfilova stressed that no serious complaints had been recorded during the vote. As of March 19, voting results have been cancelled at five polling stations in three Russian regions.
According to the Russian legislation, the CEC must announce the final results within ten days following the election and publish them within three days after a relevant protocol is signed.