MOSCOW. Jan 31 (Interfax) - The deadline for the submission of signatures in support of nominees, self-nominees for president to the Russian Central Elections Commission (CEC) will expire at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
As of now, two persons have submitted signatures in support of their nomination. The campaign of Russian President Vladimir Putin brought 315,000 signatures collected in 89 Russian regions in support of his self-nomination to the CEC on January 22. The CEC registered Putin as a presidential candidate on January 29.
Communists of Russia Party Chairman Sergei Malinkovich submitted signatures to the CEC on January 28. Some nominees are planning to submit signatures to the CEC on Wednesday.
The CEC has approved a procedure for the acceptance and verification of signatures in support of nomination for president.
Self-nominees are required to submit from 300,000 to 315,000 signatures, including no more than 7,500 signatures from one constituent territory.
Political party nominees are required to submit from 100,000 to 105,000 signatures, including no more than 2,500 signatures from one constituent territory.
Whenever signatures are collected outside Russia, the total number of signatures of voters permanently residing abroad is limited to 7,500 for self-nominees and 2,500 for party nominees.
By law, the CEC has ten days to verify signatures.
Nominees of parliamentary parties do not have to collect signatures. The CEC has registered Liberal Democratic Party leader Leonid Slutsky, State Duma Deputy Speaker, New People Party member Vladislav Davankov, and State Duma deputy, Russian Communist Party member Nikolai Kharitonov as presidential candidates.
The presidential election will be held in Russia on March 15-17.