ST. PETERSBURG, October 22 - RAPSI. The Constitutional Court will consider state deputies' inquiries to check the validity of the laws on direct gubernatorial elections and increasing the punishment for violations committed during mass rallies on November 13 and November 27, according to the court's website.

On November 27, the Constitutional Court will consider the inquiries submitted by a group of State Duma deputies to check the constitutionality of the laws. The opposition deputies dispute the legality of how these laws were adopted, as well as their content.

The draft law on increasing the punishment for rally violations was proposed by United Russia party members and came into effect on June 9. Pursuant to the amendments, the maximum administrative fine will be 300,000 rubles ($9,238) for individuals, 600,000 rubles ($18,476) for officials and 1 million rubles ($30,794) for legal entities.

If the violations complicate pedestrian or transport traffic or require additional police to be called to the scene, fines for individuals will range from 30,000 ($924) to 50,000 rubles ($1,539), and from 250,000 ($6,158) to 500,000 rubles ($15,397) for legal entities.

The document also introduces punishment for organizing unauthorized rallies under the guise of mass gatherings or "promenades" if this results in the violation of public order.
State deputies have also questioned a new provision in the main law on direct gubernatorial elections. The law came into effect on June 1, 2012. By July 1, the regions were instructed to bring their legislation into correspondence with the law. Pursuant to it the regions are able to establish the municipal filter within the range of 5 to 10 percent and define whether self-nominated candidates can take part in the elections.