MOSCOW, October 10 - RAPSI. The Council of Judges decided on Tuesday to prepare a set of proposals for the president's consideration aimed at enhancing judicial independence and removing bias in the rendering of judgments. The Council, a self governing body charged with guaranteeing judicial independence, has announced its intention on its website.

The decision was made as a follow-up to the September 12 government meeting.

The Council's presidium has also approved steps to create and operate the federal information and analytical support center for the Pravosudiye ("Justice") State Automated System, which is serving as a common information platform for all of the courts of general jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court's Judicial Department, the federal body responsible for providing functionality to the courts of general jurisdiction, has been instructed to draft amendments to the guidelines for judicial records management, stipulating that registries and statistical record cards will be maintained in an electronic format by July 1, 2013.

The Council is also determined to ask the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, to consider amendments to the law on the status of judges.