He was born on October 8, 1947 in Cherepovec city of the Vologda region.

In 1971 he graduated from the legal department and in 1974 completed his postgraduate training at the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MGU). He attended training courses at German universities.

In 1974 –1987 he was an assistant, senior teacher, dean, professor, head of department of Ivanovo State University.

In 1987 – 1991 he worked as a senior scientific consultant/senior assistant of the group of scientific advisers at the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Head of Department of legislation and law enforcement of the Supreme Soviet Secretariat of the USSR.

In 1991-1994 he occupied major positions in legal services of the International Financial Association Menatep and Menatep Bank.

In 1994-1999 he was a professor, head of the department for legal basics of management, one of  founders of the department of public administration of the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University.

On December 23, 1994, February 10, 1999, February 12, 2003, March 9, 2007, March 9, 2011 he was appointed as a member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Since April 1999 he has been working in the CEC of Russia on a permanent (full-time) basis.

At the CEC of Russia within the board of 2011-2016 he was responsible for such areas of its activity as control over the sources, accounting and use of election funds, referendum funds, audits of financial reports of candidates, electoral associations, initiative groups for the referendum, initiative campaign groups, verification of consolidated financial reports and information about receipt and expenditure of funds of political parties, control over sources and sizes of property obtained by political parties in the form of entrance and membership fees, donations of citizens and legal entities, informing citizens about the results of these audits, ensuring the rights of voters, referendum participants to receive information about elections and referendums, the rights of citizens of the Russian Federation, political parties and other public associations to campaign during elections and referendums, including through mass media, control over observance of electoral rights and the right to participate in referendum of citizens of the Russian Federation during preparation and conduct of elections to bodies of state power of subjects of the Russian Federation, bodies of local self-government, referendums of subjects of the Russian Federation, local referendums in six regions of the country, complaints against decisions and actions (failures to act) of election commissions of subjects of the Russian Federation and their officials.

He is a doctor of jurisprudence, professor. He has the title of honored lawyer of the Russian Federation.

On March, 9 2016 he was appointed as a member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by resolution of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

He is awarded with the medals “In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow” and “In Commemoration of the 1000-anniversary of Kazan”, the honorary badge of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation “For merits in organizing the elections”, the honorary diploma and gratitude certificate of the CEC of Russia.

He participated in preparation of many draft laws of the USSR, electoral laws of the Russian Federation, drafts of normative acts of the CEC on election funds, project of the Charter of Moscow. He is author of more than 160 scientific works on problems of constitutional, municipal, financial and civil law.

He is advocate of the active role of the state in protecting the rights of citizens, in economic life, in the subordination of politics to law.

He speaks German. His hobbies are skiing, hiking.

He is married and has daughter and grandson.