Bill rescheduling 2016 State Duma election may be adopted on June 30 - MP Melnikov
MOSCOW. June 18 (Interfax) - A bill changing the date of Russia's next parliamentary elections from December to the third Sunday of September 2016 may be adopted by the State Duma before the end of June, State Duma First Deputy Speaker Ivan Melnikov (Communist Party of Russia) has said.
"The second and third readings for the bill are expected to take place on June 30," he told reporters after a Duma Council session on Thursday.
Melnikov confirmed that the bill, proposed by the leaders of three parliamentary factions (United Russia, A Just Russia and Liberal Democratic Party), as well as State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, will be debated in the first reading on Friday.
After the first reading, the State Duma's constitutional legislation and state development committee will have until June 23 to adopt amendments suggested ahead of the bill's second reading, he said.
The first reading for the bill rescheduling next year's parliamentary election from December to the third Sunday of September was included by the State Duma Council in the agenda for the chamber's Friday session, Melnikov confirmed.