Results of elections can be abolished now. Legally

The Constitutional Court of Russia has made an important resolution, which can influence the fate of some deputies. According to the resolution, now, if the unlawfulness of an election commission’s decision is proved, the results of election must be overturned.

The reason for such a resolution is the case submitted to the Constitutional Court by lawyer Alexandr Transpov. In 1999, he was a candidate for State Duma deputy in the 55th Stavropol election district. As a lawyer, he often gave speeches on the radio and on television while consulting in law questions. Therefore, the commission considered his work to be a premature pre-election agitation and bribery of the electorate and him dismissed from participation in the election. Traspov could not agree with this decision and lodged a complaint against the election commission. However, the most interesting thing is that the court agreed with the arguments of the plaintiff and admitted that the dismissal was unlawful, but when Traspov demanded that the results of the election be considered invalid, his request was refused.

However, the lawyer did not want to give up and lodged a complaint with the Supreme Court, though it was not considered. Nevertheless, the lawyer reached his goal. The latest resolution of the Constitutional Court allows Traspov to demand a new election in the 55th Stavropol election district, and Traspov intends to do this. Therefore, the Constitutional Court protected the candidate's right to deputy posts. Now, most likely, reports will appear asking some unsuccessful deputies’ demands to review the results of elections. And we probably will see new faces in the State Duma. It should be stated that the Constitutional Court’s resolution applies to candidates of all levels and not only to State Duma deputies.

One thing should not be neglected. If the election results of the 55th district are really overturned, a new election campaign will be held, and big money is necessary for this, which could be used by a hospital or a secondary school. And nobody knows if the voters would come to the new election.

Anyway, Traspov achieved what he wanted.

Oleg Atryukov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/15/35585.html