NOVOSIBIRSK, March 27. /ITAR-TASS/. Novosibirsk regional court on Thursday allowed acting Mayor Vladimir Znatkov, a member of the ruling United Russia party, to run in Novosibirsk mayoral election.

On March 19, Russia's former Minister of Economics Ivan Starikov, a mayoral election candidate, demanded in a legal action that Znatkov withdraw from participation in the election because he had used his office position as leverage.

Znatkov was barred from the election by a district court ruling on March 21.

However, the regional court overrode the ruling on Thursday, March 27. Starikov's representative Vitta Vladimirova said she would lodge an appeal with the presidium of the regional court.

Ivan Kokorev, a lawyer at Znatkov's election headquarters described the legal tiff as "a misunderstanding due to incorrect interpretation of legislation." "Mr Znatkov is not supposed to be on election-related leave, as the Russian Election Commission confirmed," Kokorev said.

Novosibirsk residents will elect the new mayor in one round of voting on April 1.