Instructions on the Working Group for Supervision over Observance of the Procedures and Rules of Election Campaigning by Participants of the Electoral Process during the Election of the President of the Russian Federation
Approved by
Resolution No 72\806-3
of the Central Election Commission
of the Russian Federation
dated January 21, 2000
1. These Instructions define the format and the manner in which the Working Group for Supervision over Observance of the Procedures and Rules of Election Campaigning by Participants of the Electoral Process during the Election of the President of the Russian Federation (hereinafter «the Working Group») shall act.
2. According to its competence the Working Group shall:
- collect and systematize notices of readiness to provide air time, print space to candidates and the information on rates and payment terms to be submitted by organizations conducting TV and (or) radio broadcasting (hereinafter «TV and radio broadcasting organizations»), editorial offices of periodicals according to the procedure specified in Clause 4, Article 48 of the Federal Law «On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation»;
- collect and systematize printed propaganda materials to be submitted to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation according to Clause 3, Article 52 of the Federal Law «On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation»;
- review copies of printed election-related propaganda materials and audio and video products related to the preparation and conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, prepare conclusions regarding their compliance with the federal electoral laws;
- form a data bank with regard to results of public opinion polls and forecasts concerning the election results to be furnished to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation in the procedure specified in Clause 2, Article 46 of the Federal Law «On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation»;
- collect and systematize materials regarding the applications of the federal election laws governing the election campaigning during the preparation of the election of the President of the Russian Federation and violations of such laws by registered candidates, TV and radio broadcasting organizations, editorial offices of periodicals, and prepare relevant conclusions of the Working Group and draft statements for the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation in order to check unlawful campaigning activities;
- preliminarily consider questions regarding the applications of the Federal Law «On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation» and statements about violations of the same law in connection with election campaigning, receive required data and materials from state bodies, state establishments, their officials, bodies of local self-government, organizations, including TV and radio broadcasting organizations, editorial offices of periodicals, public associations, their officials, prepare expert conclusions and other draft documents, including replies to questions asked and statements made by participants of the electoral process;
- prepare conclusions regarding compliance of outdoor advertising materials related to the conduct of the election of the President of the Russian Federation, including commercial advertisements, placed in the territory of a subject of the Russian Federation as well as other activities of persons and organizations listed in Clause 3, Article 54 of the Federal Law «On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation» with the federal election laws, and form a relevant data bank with regard to occurred violations of the federal election laws.
3. In carrying out its activities the Working Group shall be governed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal constitutional laws, federal laws, laws of the subjects of the Russian Federation, resolutions of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, resolutions of the election commissions of the subjects of the Russian Federation and these Instructions.
4. Documents prepared by the Working Group shall be submitted to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation for consideration according to the established procedure.
5. The Working Group shall carry out its activities on a collective basis, through an open and transparent discussion of issues within the scope of its competence.
Members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and its staff employees, members of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, stuff employees of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation who take part in the preparation of materials for a Working Group meeting shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Working Group and express their opinion.
Applicants, persons whose actions caused the issue to be considered by the Working Group and persons authorized to represent their interests as well as other interested persons shall be entitled to participate in meetings of the Working Group. The list of the aforementioned persons shall be compiled and signed by the Head of the Working Group or his/her deputy on the eve of the scheduled meeting.
The Head of the Working Group shall issue instructions to prepare materials for a meeting of the Working Group, to inform its members and invited persons of the time and place of the meeting, arrange office work and preside over meetings of the Working Group.
When the Head of the Working Group is absent as well as by his/her instruction, the functions of the Head of the Working Group shall be performed by his/her deputy or by a duly authorized member of the Working Group when the deputy is absent.
At meetings of the Working Group the presiding officer shall set the time limit for speeches upon agreement with the speakers and co-speakers which shall not exceed: 10 minutes for the main report, 5 minutes for the co-report, 3 minutes for other speeches, two minutes for information, messages and appeals, 3 minutes for final speech of the main speaker.
6. The Working Group shall hold its meeting as often as necessary. Applications and other documents furnished to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation shall be considered at meetings of the Working Group upon instruction of the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation when the Chairman is absent.
Meetings of the Working Group shall be prepared by members of the Working Group, staff employees of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, relevant election commissions and experts that are retained for this purpose in accordance with instructions issued by the Head of the Working Group. The originals and copies of documents required to consider inquiries and other documents, draft resolutions of the Working Group regarding the inquiry to be reviewed or any other documents and conclusions of experts, if required, shall be prepared by a meeting of the Working Group.
A resolution of the Working Group and a relevant draft resolution of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, if required, shall be submitted to the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation for consideration, in such case the Head of the Working Group or, upon his/her instruction, the deputy of the Head of the Working Group or a member of the Working Group who is a member of the election commission of the subject of the Russian federation shall report on that issued.
7. The time limit within which matters furnished to the Working Group shall be considered shall be determined in compliance with the instruction on office work that shall be approved by the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation.
8. A meeting of the Working Group shall be deemed competent if more than half of the established number of members of the Working Group attend it.
Minutes and audio records, if necessary, shall be kept at meetings of the Working Group. The minutes of a meeting of the Working Group shall be kept by the secretary of the meeting who shall be appointed by the presiding officer at the meeting of the Working Group. The minutes shall be signed by the officer presiding over the meeting of the Working Group and the secretary.
Resolutions of the Working Group shall be taken through an open vote by a vote majority of the members of the Working Group present at the meeting. In case of a tie vote the vote of the officer presiding over the meeting of the Working Group shall be decisive.
9. Documents and materials confirming the facts of violation of the rules of election campaigning by a registered candidate, other documents and information that may be collected by the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation according to the Federal Law «On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation» shall be kept with the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation and forwarded to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation upon its request and by resolution of the election commission of the subject of the Russian Federation, if required.
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