MOSCOW, May 22 (RIA Novosti) - The lower house of
Russia's parliament has adopted in its third reading a bill to
give the upper house the right to directly appoint the head of
the Constitutional Court, who will be nominated by the
president.
The draft law will also increase the chief judge's term of
office to six years from the current three.
The head of the Constitutional Court and his deputies are
currently elected by the court's 19 judges, who are appointed
by the upper house.
President Dmitry Medvedev proposed the term increase.
The draft law also proposes abolishing the post of
secretary-judge and establishing a second post of
Constitutional Court chairman deputy, as well as outlining the
powers of the chairman in relation to the management of court
staff.
The term of office of Russian Constitutional Court
chairman Valery Zorkin ends February 20, 2012, his deputy's
term of office expires April 25, 2011, with the
secretary-judge's ending February 22, 2010.
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