DISPUTES OVER ELECTORAL LAW

…The Duma’s Council, an advisorybody which is responsible for matters of procedure, has failedto convene to consider calling an emergency session of the Duma.The request for such a session had been submitted by the Yablokoand Communist factions, in the hope of overriding the FederationCouncil’s veto on the law on new electoral district boundaries.Many Duma deputies worry that if the new law is not passed, thegovernment can use old legislation to manipulate the voting. Althoughthe deputies collected enough signatures for the emergency session,the approval of the Duma’s Council is also required. But Dumapro-government speaker Ivan Rybkin said that during the summervacation it is difficult to convene even the Duma’s Council,and claimed that "nothing dramatic will happen if the electionis held under the old law," Russia’s Radio reported August8.

…And over Mass Media’s Role in Elections