http//:www.thenewslark.com) : The Russian nation and government proved their commitment to democracy and democratic norms, and despite the war, elections are being held in an organized and disciplined atmosphere to enable people to elect their representatives freely. The voting was held on Sunday 20th September 2026,at the Russian Consulate in Karachi and will contribute to the composition of the Ninth convocation of the State Duma. The elections of Russia’s federal lawmakers are organized every five years upon the end of the tenure of the previous convocation. The dates were fixed by a Presidential Decree, and once again the elections faced no delays and no postponements despite serious attempts by some external forces to derail them.
According to Russian law, the voting is conducted on the principles of equality, universality, and secrecy of the ballot. The election system in Russia is mixed, which means that Russian citizens cast one vote for the party and another vote for the particular candidate from their constituency. As a result, half of the lawmakers are chosen according to the results of their party, while the other half is selected through a “first past the post” system.
The latest changes to the procedure have been the introduction of three-day and electronic voting. Most Russian citizens have the opportunity to express their political will from Friday to Sunday from 8 am to 8 pm. Furthermore, Russians living abroad can cast their ballot at the Russian diplomatic and consular missions. And if a person cannot come to the polling station, he or she can vote online through a secure and transparent electronic system.
According to the Russian Constitution, the State Duma and the Federation Council are the two chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, which is what the Russian parliament is called. It is a representative and legislative body of the Russian Federation. Both of the chambers have the power to initiate legislation, but all the federal laws must first be adopted by a simple majority of the deputies of the State Duma or, in case of the constitutional laws, by two-thirds of the lawmakers. After that, the Council of the Russian Federation, as an upper chamber, shall approve or reject the law for the President to sign or veto.
All 450 members of the State Duma are elected every five years. As for the members of the Council of the Russian Federation, most of them are appointed by regional authorities. Each region selects two senators, one from the legislative branch, and one from the executive. Furthermore, the President of Russia can also appoint up to 30 senators himself.
At the Consulate General of the Russian Federation, Russians residing in Karachi casted their votes. Media persons, including Mr. Jawed Malik, Chief Editor, and Dr. Syed Mehboob, Senior Research Editor and Analyst, and Dr. Muhammad Ali, columnist, were present on the occasion. They discussed with Consula General of the Russian Federation H.E. Andrey Fedorov, Consulate Staff and Russian people who casted their vote. People were satisfied with the arrangement which was disciplined and organized.
