A vote on amendments to the Russian Constitution may be held in 2020 already, Central Election Commission Secretary Maya Grishina said on Wednesday.
"If everything is solved quickly, this may happen this year," Grishina said.
Earlier in the day, President Putin said during his 16th state-of-the-nation address that there is no need for a new Constitution, however, he suggested some changes to the existing one. He said that a vote could be held to approve any changes to the Constitution.
Mr Putin suggested banning high-ranking government officials from having foreign citizenship or residence permit as well as stricter requirements for future presidential candidates.
"I offer to constitutionally fix obligatory requirements for individuals who occupy the posts that are crucial for national security and sovereignty, namely heads of federal subjects [governors], Federal Council [the upper house of parliament] members, State Duma [the lower house of parliament] members, chairman of the government, his deputies, ministers and heads of other federal bodies, as well as judges are forbidden to be holders of foreign citizenship, residence permit or any other document that allows them to permanently reside on the territory of another state," Putin said in his address to the Federal Assembly.
Putin went on to propose that presidential candidates should prove they have lived in Russia for a minimum of 25 years and have never held foreign citizenship.
Mr Putin also said that Russia should remain a "strong presidential republic", with the president being able to dismiss the prime minister and his deputies, and remain in charge of the military and exercise great control over the judiciary.
The Russian Presidential Human Rights Council has vowed to engage in arranging a vote on amendments to the Constitution.
