GOVERNMENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

DECREE

of June 29, 2011, No. 511

ON MEASURES OF ASSISTANCE TO THE ELECTION COMMISSIONS IN THEIR OPERATION DURING PREPARATION AND CARRYING OUT OF THE ELECTION OF DEPUTIES OF THE STATE DUMA OF THE FEDERAL ASSENBLY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION OF THE SIXTH CONVOCATION AND THE ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

With the aim of providing assistance to the election commissions in preparation and carrying out of the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation, the election of the President of the Russian Federation and following Federal Laws «On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum", «On Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation”, «On Election of the President of the Russian Federation” the Government of the Russian Federation decrees:

1. The Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation shall forward funds provisioned in the Federal Law “On Federal Budget for the year 2011 and for the planned period of 2012 and 2013” according to the procedure and time frames established by the law of the Russian Federation at the disposal of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation for the purpose of preparation and carrying out of the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and the election of the President of the Russian Federation.

2. The Central Bank of the Russian Federation (or Open Joint Stock Company “Sberbank of Russia” in case of absence of institutions of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation) shall be recommended to open accounts for the election commissions according to the established procedure for the purpose of conducting transactions with funds of the Federal Budget allocated to the election commissions for preparation and carrying out of the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and the election of the President of the Russian Federation and Open Joint Stock Company “Sberbank of Russia” shall be recommended to open special election accounts for the political parties which nominated their federal lists of candidates for deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation (hereinafter referred to as the federal lists of candidates), their regional branches and candidates for the position of the President of the Russian Federation.

3. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Federal Migration Service, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Health Care and Social Development, the Federal Medical and Biological Agency and the Federal Fishery Agency shall ensure provision of information within the established authorities for preparation and updating of the voters’ lists according to the procedure and time frames established in Article 15 of the Federal Law «On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation”, Article 26 of the Federal Law “On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation” and regulations of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

The Federal Marine and River Transport Agency shall assist within the established authorities in providing information for preparation and updating of the voters’ lists according to the procedure and time frames established in Article 15 of the Federal Law «On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation”, Article 26 of the Federal Law “on the Election of the President of the Russian Federation” and regulations of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

4. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Federal Migration Service, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Health Care and Social Development, the Federal Medical and Biological Agency and the Federal Fishery Agency shall assist in organization of polling stations (ensure organization in cases established by the law) according to the procedure and time frames established by Article 13 of the Federal Law «On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation” and Article 25 of the Federal Law “on the Election of the President of the Russian Federation” on the territory of military units located in special or remote settlements, in places of voters’ temporary stay (hospitals, health resorts and vacation resorts, transport stations, airports, detention facilities for suspects and the accused and other places of temporary stay), in remote or hard-to-reach areas, on ships which are on the sea on the voting day, at polar stations and outside the territory of the Russian Federation and assist in delivery of Protocols on voting results from the corresponding Precinct Election Commissions to higher election commissions and transmission of the above Protocols to higher election commissions via communication lines in compliance with Sections 27 and 29 Article 79 of the Federal Law «On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation”, Sections 27 and 29 Article 73 of the Federal Law “on the Election of the President of the Russian Federation”, delivery of absentee certificates, ballots and other election documents to Precinct Election Commissions organized at the above polling stations.

5. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation shall ensure organization of Precinct Election Commissions in compliance with Section 5 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation” and Clause 5 Article 15 of the Federal Law “on the Election of the President of the Russian Federation”.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation shall assist the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation in organization of a Territorial Election Commission(s) to manage the operation of Precinct Election Commissions organized according to Section 5 Article 21 of the Federal Law “On the Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation” and Section 5 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation” and assist such Territorial Election Commission in enforcement of its authorities.

6. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation and the Federal Penitentiary Service shall take measures to ensure the electoral rights of voters serving in the corresponding institutions and military units and citizens whose place of residence is on the territory of such military units (by subordination).

7. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation together with other federal governmental institutions shall provide within the established authorities:

a) upon requests of the election commissions, protection of public order and public security during preparation and carrying out of the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and the election of the President of the Russian Federation including free of charge guarding of the election commission facilities, polling premises and election documents during their transportation;

b) upon request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, present the information if the candidates for deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and candidates for the President of the Russian Federation have unexpunged or unspent convictions under criminal law of foreign countries for actions determined as crimes under the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and about facts of administrative actions against them for committed administrative violations stipulated by Articles 20.3 and 20.29 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations;

c) take urgent measures to preclude illegal campaigning activity, to prevent production of illegal and false election campaigning materials and to expropriate them, to determine the producers and distributors of the above materials, the sources of their financing, to determine the participants of other illegal campaigning activities, to inform the corresponding election commissions in timely manner about identified facts and taken measures and to take the materials to court in timely manner.

8. The Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters shall provide control over fire safety compliance in the facilities of election commissions and polling premises.

9. Upon request of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation shall provide where possible the information if the candidates for deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and candidates for the President of the Russian Federation possess foreign citizenship or residence permit or some other document authorizing the right of residence on the territory of a foreign country for a citizen of the Russian Federation.

10. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation and the Federal Penitentiary Service shall:

a) provide constant assistance to the election commissions in ensuring of electoral rights of citizens of the Russian Federation during voting of citizens suspected or accused in committed crimes and confined in detention facilities and disciplinary military units;

b) take measures for execution of Clause 21 of Regulation on the Russian Passport enacted by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 8, 1997, No. 828 and Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 2, 2003, No.391 «On Procedure of Issuance of Certificates for Participation in Elections and Referendums to Citizens Confined in Detention Facilities for Suspects and Accused”.

11. The Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications shall forward to the Central Election Commission according to Clauses 7 and 8 Article 47 of the Federal law «On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum” lists of state entities performing television and/or radio broadcasting, state printed periodicals obliged to provide correspondingly broadcasting time and printed pages for campaigning prior to the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and the election of the President of the Russian Federation.

12. For preparation of lists specified in Clause 11 of this Decree, the Federal Agency for Print and Mass Media shall submit to the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications the information about entities performing television and/or radio broadcasting, state printed periodicals received state support in the form of a grant for their operation from the federal budget within the year preceding the day of the official publication of decision about calling of the election and/or entities which chartered/pooled capital has a share/holding of the Russian Federation on the day of the official publication of decision about calling of the election.

13. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications and the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation shall take urgent action to preclude extremist and any other illegal campaigning activities including provoking of social, racial, national, religious hatred and hostility and timely inform the election commissions about identified facts and taken measures.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation shall ensure timely bringing to court of materials on the corresponding violations.

14. The State Courier Service of the Russian Federation under coordination with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall provide timely delivery of ballots to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, the Subject Election Commissions of the Russian Federation and provide the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and the Subject Election Commission of the Russian Federation with state courier services at rates established for federal governmental institutions and their territorial bodies.

15. The Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Main Center for Special Communications” upon coordination with the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation shall provide timely delivery of election documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, Subject Election Commission of the Russian Federation, Territorial and Precinct Election Commissions and provide the election commissions of all levels with special communication services at rates established for the federal governmental institutions and their territorial bodies.

The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation shall ensure control over timely delivery of election documents to the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, Subject Election Commission of the Russian Federation, Territorial and Precinct Election Commissions by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Main Center for Special Communications”.

16. Upon request of the election commissions, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation shall assist in first priority delivery of materials related to the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and the election of the President of the Russian Federation.

17. The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation shall take measures to provide uninterrupted operation of the public communication network segment allocated for communication services of the election commissions of all levels including operation of the State Automated System of the Russian Federation “Vybory”.

18. The Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation together with power supply companies shall take measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply for polling premises and the election commissions of all levels.

The Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision shall assist in provision of safe operation of power installations of polling premises and the election commissions of all levels.

The Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters together with governmental institutions of Subjects of the Russian Federation shall review possibility to provide a reserved independent power supply for polling premises of Precinct Election Commission where ballot processing and computerized voting complexes are used and buildings where Election Commissions of the Russian Federation subject and Territorial Election Commissions are located.

19. The Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications shall provide:

a) timely and proper measures against the entities performing television and/or radio broadcasting, editorials of printed periodicals which violated the requirements of the Federal Laws «On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum", «On Election of Deputies of the State Duma of the federal Assembly of the Russian Federation” and «On Election of the President of the Russian Federation” with regard to provision of broadcast time and printing pages to the election commissions, political parties with registered federal lists of candidates, to registered candidates for the President of the Russian Federation and political parties nominated candidates for the President of the Russian Federation;

b) content analysis of printed, audio and audiovisual mass media materials produced and/or distributed on the territory of the Russian Federation in order to determine its compliance with the election law of the Russian Federation upon requirement;

c) timely delivery of documents about mass media registration and/or certificates authorizing broadcasting and other materials related to mass media activities to the election commissions upon their request in case of initiation of proceedings on administrative violations and administrative investigations.

20. Upon request from the corresponding election commissions, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and their subordinate federal services and federal agencies, the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation and the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation shall assign specialists for supervision and auditing service under the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and supervision and auditing services under the Subject Election Commissions of the Russian Federation.

Upon request from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Subject Election Commissions of the Russian Federation, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and Open Joint Stock Company “Sberbank of Russia” shall be recommended to assign specialists supervision and auditing services under the corresponding election commissions.

21. Upon request from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Subject Election Commissions of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the Federal Migration Service shall assign their specialist for participation in supervision over procedure compliance during collection of voter signatures and preparation of signature lists, control over reliability of data included in the signature lists about voters and signatures affixed in support of nomination of the federal lists of candidates and candidates for the President of the Russian Federation.

22. The Federal Migration Service shall:

notify the fact of registration of a citizen at a new place of residence to the authority for registration of citizens of the Russian Federation at his previous place of residence within 3 days in order to ensure his deregistration in case such citizen is not deregistered at his previous place of residence;

upon request from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Election Commission of the Russian Federation subjects, check reliability of data included in signature lists about voters affixed their signatures in support of nomination of the federal lists of candidates and candidates for the President of the Russian Federation.

23. Upon request from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Election Commission of the Russian Federation subjects and within the established authorities, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the Federal Migration Service and the Federal Tax Service shall ensure verification of data provided by citizens and legal entities during contribution/transfer of voluntary donations to electoral funds of political parties which nominated the federal lists of candidates, electoral funds of regional branches of political parties (if they exist) and electoral funds of candidates nominated for the President of the Russian Federation and inform the corresponding election commissions about the results of such checking.

24. Upon request from the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Subject Election Commission of the Russian Federation and within the established authority, the Ministry of internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Federal Tax Service, the Federal Service for Financial Markets and the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastral Records and Cartography shall check reliability of:

data about the amount and sources of income, property belonging to candidates included in the federal lists of candidates and candidates for the President of the Russian Federation on the basis of legal ownership (including joint ownership), property liability, security papers and bank deposits of the above candidates;

data about the amount and sources of income, property belonging to spouses of candidates for the President of the Russian Federation on the basis of legal ownership (including joint ownership), property liability, security papers and bank deposits.

25. The federal governmental institutions and the governmental institutions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation shall be recommended to develop administrative and technical measures related to preparation and carrying out of the elections and ensure their fulfillment during the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and the election of the President of the Russian Federation.

26. The governmental institutions of the subjects of the Russian Federation shall be recommended to:

a) provide the election commission with required premises including polling premises and rooms for keeping of election documents (including guarding of such rooms and election documents), transport facilities, communication facilities and technical equipment and provide upon requirement other assistance to the election commissions in their operation established by the law of the Russian Federation free of charge;

b) provide the corresponding election commissions with sufficient number of off-road transport facilities with the number of seats required to ensure equal possibility to reach destination for at least 2 non-voting members of the election commissions and observers travelling together with the voting members of the election commissions for voting including early voting in remote, hard-to-reach areas and areas outside polling premises;

c) provide equipment of polling stations with special tools allowing disabled persons to exercise their electoral rights in full scope;

d) allocate specially equipped places for distribution of printing campaigning materials;

e) ensure publication of information related to organization of polling station and the election commissions as well as information issued by the election commissions on the progress of preparation and carrying out of elections, time and procedure of voting, candidates and political parties;

f) assist the election commissions in fulfilling their orders for production of election documents at rates established for entities financed from the corresponding budgets;

g) provide required normative technical conditions for uninterrupted operation of the State Automated System of the Russian Federation “Vybory”;

h) assist territorial subdivisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation,  the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation, the Federal Service for Financial Markets, the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastral Records and Cartography in checking within the established authority and upon request of the election commissions;

i) provide the election commissions with death records of citizens of the Russian Federation for update of voters’ lists according to the procedure established by the Federal Laws and regulations of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation;

j) assist the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation and Election Commissions of the Russian Federation subjects in verification of reliability of data included in signature lists about voters affixed their signatures in support of nomination of the federal lists of candidates and candidates for the President of the Russian Federation;

k) provide territorial bodies of the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications with timely submission of data required for listings specified in Clause 11 of this Decree, data about entities performing television and/or radio broadcasting, printed periodicals which founders (co-founders) are represented by state institutions and institutions of the Subjects of the Russian Federation on the day of the official publication of decision about calling of the election or which received state support in the form of a grant for their operation from the budgets of a Subject(s) of the Russian Federation within the year preceding the day of the official publication of decision about calling of the election and/or entities which chartered/pooled capital has a share/holding of a subject(s) of the Russian Federation on the day of the official publication of decision about calling of the election.

27. The Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation shall be recommended to enhance supervision over observance of the law of the Russian Federation by the participants of the electoral process during the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation and the election of the President of the Russian Federation.