ST.-PETERSBURG, July 18 - RAPSI. The Constitutional Court accepted a request recently submitted by State Duma deputies to check the compliance of the law on governors' direct elections and public rally violations with the Constitution, the court reports on Wednesday.

"The court accepted two requests from deputies - one from Gudkov, which was signed by 102 deputies, and the other from Solovyov, which bears 109 signatures," the court said.

The court added that the requests will be considered during the court's next session.

The opposition is contesting the procedure for adopting the law on rallies and its content, and believes that the legislation runs counter to the Constitution.

On June 5, the State Duma passed a draft law increasing fines for violating rally procedures. The Federation Council approved it the following day.

The draft was then signed into law by President Vladimir Putin.

The law has increased fines by 10 times, stipulated compulsory community service for violators and prohibited the wearing of masks during protests. The maximum fine has risen to 300,000 rubles ($9,200) for private individuals and 600,000 rubles ($18,400) for public officials.

The law also cracks down on unauthorized rallies by prohibiting any mass actions organized under the guise of mass gatherings, or so-called "people's promenades," should they cause public unrest.

The law on governors' direct elections will also be subject to a check.

The then President Dmitry Medvedev signed the law in early May and it was enacted on June 1.