He was born on February 25, 1950. In 1972 he graduated with honors from Saratov Institute of Law. During his education in the institute he was awarded with Lenin scholarship, in 1971 he was awarded with the medal “For Valiant Labor”.

He is professor, doctor of law, judge of the highest qualification class.

He is honored scientist of the Russian Federation, honored lawyer of the Russian Federation.

He is author of more than 250 scientific and methodical works, including over 30 books (monographs, textbooks, scientific and practical commentaries), a number of bills, participant of the Constitutional Council of 1993 and its working group on finalization of the draft of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

In the past he was a construction worker, soldier, university professor, judge of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, President of the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia.

In the CEC of Russia of 2011-2016 he was responsible for such activity directions as compilation and analysis of the practice of holding elections and referendums in the Russian Federation, preparation of proposals for improvement and development of the law enforcement practices and legislation, as well as control over the implementation of measures of bringing the legislation of the Russian Federation to conformity with federal law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum”, interaction with the higher judicial bodies, enforcement of the electoral rights and rights of the Russian Federation citizens to participate in the referendum when preparing and conducting of elections to the bodies of state authority of subjects of the Russian Federation, local self-governments, referendums of the subjects of the Russian Federation, local referendums, enforcement of the rights of Russian citizens to participate in recall elections of officials, elected directly by citizens, control over the observance of the established Federal law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum”, order of formation of election commissions, referendum commissions, consideration of complaints against decisions and actions (failure to act) of election commissions of subjects of the Russian Federation and their officials, achievement of international cooperation in the field of electoral systems, generalization of the electoral law and electoral practices outside the Russian Federation.

On March 3, 2016 he was appointed as a member of the Central Election Commission of Russia by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation.

He was awarded with the Order of Honor, Amity, was given the letters of appreciation of the President of the Russian Federation twice, including for active participation in the drafting of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.