MOSCOW, June 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's lower house of parliament passed a bill Wednesday in the second reading removing an option on ballot papers that many have called a protest vote.
The draft law will remove the "against all" option at elections to all levels of government. If finally approved, the law will not cover elections already established before it comes into force.
The head of the State Duma committee on legislation and state development, Vladimir Pligin, said earlier that the "against all" option should be removed in a bid to stimulate candidates and their teams to work better with potential voters.
The second reading of three is the most important under Russia's legislative process, as lawmakers can make amendments to the text of bills.
