"We have received 20 applications from people wishing to stand for president of the Russian Federation," said Vladimir Churov.
However, said Churov, only 12 of the people wishing to succeed President Putin as the leader of the largest nation on Earth had presented their applications in the correct manner.
In order to be officially nominated as a candidate, an individual without the backing of a parliamentary party must form an action group consisting of no less than 500 supporters. The would-be president then has to submit the necessary documents, including income and property certificates, to the Central Election Commission before December 18.
If approved by the commission, he or she is required to produce at least 2 million signatures in support of his application to run in next year's polls.
Instead of observing these rules, Churov said that some people had simply sent a letter to the election commission saying, "I request to be registered as a candidate in presidential elections."
One application came from a person of no fixed abode.
Churov said that it was likely that many of the people desiring to leave their mark on history had obviously not acquainted themselves with the relevant laws.
Presidential elections in Russia are due for March 2, 2008. Under the Russian Constitution, President Putin is unable to run for a third term.
