MOSCOW, March 12 (RAPSI) – The State Duma passed a draft law on punishment for violations during the All-Russia voting on amendments to the Constitution in the second reading on Thursday.

According to one of the bill’s authors, Chairman of the State Duma Committee for State Building and Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov, the initiative is aimed to ensure free expression of the will during the voting.

The bill envisages amendments to the Criminal Code’s articles on falsification of electing documents, results of the poll and hindering a citizen from exercising his/her electoral rights and the work of election commissions.

The draft law sets punishment from fines to up to 4 years in prison for the crimes.

The All-Russian vote on the Constitution is scheduled for April 22. The date of the voting is to be a legal public holiday, it is to be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.