MOSCOW, June 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's lower house of parliament approved in the third and final reading Friday a bill removing the "against all" option from ballot papers in elections to all levels.
The bill was supported by 347 members of the State Duma, 87 voted "against."
The document comes into force from the day of its official publication and will not cover any elections scheduled before the day it comes into force.
Vladimir Pligin, the head of the State Duma committee on the constitutional legislation, said the decision to remove the "against all" option from ballot papers was needed to raise the political awareness of voters and make candidates and political parties more responsible during campaigning.
