Shakhnovsky's election illegal, Russian court says

The Krasnoyarsk territorial court passed a verdict noting that the election of Vasily Shakhnovsky, former chief executive officer of the YUKOS-Moscow oil company, to the Federation Council from Siberia's Evenk autonomous area was illegal, RIA-NOVOSTI correspondent reports from the court-room.

Moreover, the court ruled that the Evenk legislature's October 10, 2003 resolution on terminating the powers of Federation Council member Nikolai Anisimov from Evenkia be declared null and void; by the way, Shakhnovsky was elected in Anisimov's place.

The court's November 6 verdict can be appealed over a ten-day period.

The Russian Prosecutor-General's Office contacted the Krasnoyarsk territorial court October 29, suggesting that it declare October 27 resolutions of the Evenk autonomous area's legislature on electing Shakhnovsky as the only candidate to the Federal Council as null and void.

This happened ten days after the Russian Prosecutor-General's Office indicted him of tax evasion to the tune of 29 million roubles. (One dollar equals about 30 roubles)