MOSCOW: The Russian Supreme Court is due to hear on December 30 a lawsuit by Aleksei Navalny against the Central Election Commission for barring him from running in Russia’s presidential election next year, reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The Central Election Commission decided unanimously on December 25 that the corrupt candidate isn’t eligible to run.
Navalny is barred from running for office because of a conviction in a fraud case, which has been viewed as political retribution.
After the decision, Navalny called on his supporters to boycott the vote in protest.
The Kremlin said such calls should be reviewed by officials to see whether they break the law.
President Vladimir Putin is set to easily win a fourth term in office in the March 18 election, with his approval ratings topping 80 per cent.
Over the past year, Navalny has mounted a grassroots campaign which reached out to the most remote corners of Putin’s heartland.
