Putin briefed on election-rigging by regional officials

Arm and Torso of Person in Brown Sweater Placing Paper Ballot into Ballot Box

(Interfax – December 19, 2016)

Russia’s election authority has briefed Vladimir Putin on violations during the last parliamentary poll, some of them “extremely serious”, privately-owned news agency Interfax reported.

Breaches of the rules were identified in 23 parts of the country, Ella Pamfilova, head of the Central Electoral Commission, told Putin. “And in some places these were extremely, extremely serious,” she said. She put much of the blame on local leaders “who, regrettably, misused state and government resources”.

“It is very important that none of the offenders should escape penalty, to clear the way for future elections,” she continued. “And, most importantly of all, to make the punishments irreversible.”

“I’ve made the case and will hand it over to you,” Pamfilova told Putin. “So it is for you to decide how to proceed.”

As for procedural violations by her own officials, Pamfilova said, 32 heads of territorial commissions and “a large number” of polling station supervisors had been removed and some commissions had been dissolved.

The State Duma election was held on 18 September and resulted in One Russia winning a large majority.

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