Russia’s former human rights ombudsman Ella Pamfilova was on Monday appointed the country’s top elections chief ahead of parliamentary polls this year. Her candidacy was approved by the majority of members of the central election commission.Russia will hold parliamentary elections this September amid a prolonged economic crisis due in part to the fall in oil prices and Western sanctions over the Kremlin’s role in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin earlier this month dropped the controversial chief of the election commission Vladimir Churov dubbed the “magician” by the marginalised opposition.
Churov — who had headed the election commission since 2007 — has been accused by critics of presiding over mass election fraud to ensure victories for the Kremlin.
Pamfilova, 62, said the commission’s task was to ensure that all Russians have “equal voting rights.”
Full Article: Ex-rights ombudsman named Russia’s election chief ahead of polls.