The Hindu : Putin set to sweep poll

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 15, 2004

International

International

Putin set to sweep poll

By Vladimir Radyuhin

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and his wife Lyudmila at a polling station in Moscow on Sunday to exercise their franchise. — AP

MOSCOW, MARCH 14. The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, headed for crushing victory in Sunday's presidential poll amid higher voter turnout than expected.

With Mr. Putin enjoying an overwhelming lead over his five election rivals, a low turnout was the only threat to his triumphant re-election for a second four-year term. Under Russian law at least 50 per cent of registered voters must come to the polls to make the election valid. As voting gathered momentum across Russia's 11 time zones, fears of voter apathy were dispelled.

By 1830 IST, five hours before the last polling stations closed in the Baltic enclave of Kalingrad, 51.75 per cent of 109 million eligible voters cast their ballots nation-wide. This enabled the Central Election Commission chief, Alexander Veshnyakov, to predict that the final turnout could reach 65 per cent.

In the days preceding the poll, Mr. Putin, political and religious leaders appeared on national television, urging citizens to perform their civic duty. Voters were also enticed with promises of discount goods at polling stations and various prizes for those who cast ballots.

First official returns will be announced on Monday morning. According to pre-election surveys, Mr. Putin looks set to sweep the poll with 70 to 80 per cent of the vote, while his rivals are expected to poll in single digits.

In a display of full confidence in his re-election, Mr. Putin overhauled the Government and appointed a new Prime Minister before the vote, saying he wanted Russians to know the team that would carry forward economic reforms during his second term.

Tight security was enforced throughout Russia on Sunday, with some 300,000 police deployed at polling stations, in transport and other public places.

In Moscow alone, 22,000 policemen and troops patrolled the streets. No incident was reported apart from two bomb explosions near polling stations in Chechnya which however did not hurt anyone.

More than 500 foreign observers monitored the vote, while three Opposition candidates agreed to pool forces to make an alternative vote tally to prevent rigging.

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