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| Putin critic facing election ban | Putin critic facing election ban |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Russia's Central Election Commission says there are grounds to disqualify opposition candidate Mikhail Kasyanov from running for president. | Russia's Central Election Commission says there are grounds to disqualify opposition candidate Mikhail Kasyanov from running for president. |
| The commission says Mr Kasyanov, who is seeking to stand as an independent, has failed to obtain the necessary two million valid signatures. | The commission says Mr Kasyanov, who is seeking to stand as an independent, has failed to obtain the necessary two million valid signatures. |
| Mr Kasyanov was prime minister under Mr Putin, but has become one of the Russian leader's staunchest critics. | Mr Kasyanov was prime minister under Mr Putin, but has become one of the Russian leader's staunchest critics. |
| Mr Putin's chosen successor, Dmitry Medvedev, is expected to win in March. | Mr Putin's chosen successor, Dmitry Medvedev, is expected to win in March. |
| Russian law stipulates that no more than 5% of signatures in support of a candidate can be false or forged. | Russian law stipulates that no more than 5% of signatures in support of a candidate can be false or forged. |
| The authorities are afraid of a direct political contest Mikhail Kasyanov class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7202708.stm">Profile: Mikhail Kasyanov While the electoral commission has yet to reach a final decision on whether or not Mr Kasyanov can run, they now say that 13.38% of his signatures are invalid. | |
| "The number of certified signatures is less than two million, which is sufficient basis to reject his registration as candidate for the presidency," said commission member Nikolai Konkin. | "The number of certified signatures is less than two million, which is sufficient basis to reject his registration as candidate for the presidency," said commission member Nikolai Konkin. |
| The latest opinion polls suggest an unassailable lead for Mr Putin's chosen successor Dmitry Medvedev, who is chairman of the gas giant Gazprom. | The latest opinion polls suggest an unassailable lead for Mr Putin's chosen successor Dmitry Medvedev, who is chairman of the gas giant Gazprom. |
| Mr Kasyanov has been polling about 1%. | Mr Kasyanov has been polling about 1%. |
| On Tuesday Russian prosecutors announced they had opened an investigation into allegations that Mr Kasyanov had been involved in forging a significant proportion of the two million signatures needed to qualify. | On Tuesday Russian prosecutors announced they had opened an investigation into allegations that Mr Kasyanov had been involved in forging a significant proportion of the two million signatures needed to qualify. |