Officials at Russia’s chief electoral body, claim that news agencies have misinterpreted the statement by the CEC chief Alexander Veshnyakov at a news conference held Thursday in the southern Russian city of Stavropol.

The Interfax news agency reported Thursday that Russia would hold its next presidential election on March 9, 2008, according to the central electoral commission chairman Alexander Veshnyakov.

“I think we can already name a date. The Russian presidential election will take place on the second Sunday of March 2008…, March 9,” Veshnyakov said, according to Interfax. Campaigning will start “approximately in the first days of December 2007,” he said.

CEC officials pointed out that in truth Veshnyakov had said: “The election will take place on second Sunday of March 2008. If we look at the calendar we will see that it will be March 9.”

However, by Russian law the election cannot be held on March 9 as that day follows March 8, which is a public holiday in Russia, the Vedomosti newspaper wrote Friday citing CEC member Yelena Dubrovina. Veshnyakov was unavailable for comment, Vedomosti said.

Observers at the Gazeta newspaper wondered why the date had been announced by Veshnyakov himself whereas by law the day is to be set by the upper house of the Russian parliament — the Federation Council, which is to announce its decision not earlier than 100 days and not later than 90 days before the vote, i.e. between Dec 1 and Dec 10 2007.

Under the constitution President Vladimir Putin is required to step down in 2008, following his second consecutive four-year term in the Kremlin.

Putin is widely expected to name a preferred successor who would then have an overwhelming advantage in the poll. If one candidate does not secure more than 50 percent of the vote in a first round, a run-off round takes place between the two leaders.

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