Vote results may be invalidated, criminal cases may be opened if electoral irregularities confirmed in Barnaul - Russian CEC head
MOSCOW. Sept 18 (Interfax) - Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) chairperson Ella Pamfilova has promised to take a tough approach over the situation surrounding the September 18 elections in the Altai Territory, even including steps to open criminal cases and invalidate the election results.
"We are now closely investigating the situation in the Altai Territory. If the facts about which certain radio stations have been speaking since morning are confirmed, very serious measures will be taken, even including the opening of criminal cases and considering the possibility to cancel the elections [results]," Pamfilova said on Sunday.
Pamfilova said that she herself had received all the information received from the complainants.
"All this information has been forwarded to the central office of the Interior Ministry. The Interior Ministry is investigating it on the spot," she said.
Earlier, representatives of some political parties complained to the Altai Territory's election commission that an attempt had been made to arrange illegal voting in Barnaul.
"We have received information from representatives of political parties that an attempt had been planned to arrange so-called 'cruise voting' at the Lesnaya Skazka park. This information is now being verified. It is impossible to say so far that these facts have been confirmed," the regional election commission's press service told Interfax on Sunday.
Around 20 people and six cars were held at the park, parties' representatives said.
People participating in this illegal voting were told in each car that they would have to receive a ballot paper from a district election commission member and vote for certain candidates at 16 polling stations.
The elections to the seventh-term State Duma and the Altai Territory Legislative Assembly are being held in the Altai Territory on September 18. Reports released as of midday local time put the region's voter turnout at 18.34%, or 343,941 people, (19.93% at the 2011 elections). The highest voter turnout as of midday was recorded in the Sibirsky closed administrative-territorial entity - 30.29%.
