MOSCOW, November 27 - RAPSI. The Federation Council's Committee for Constitutional Legislation backed a bill on new requirements to form the Federation Council (Russia's upper house of parliament) on Tuesday.

The committee recommended that the senators approve the bill at a plenary session on Wednesday, November 28.

President Vladimir Putin submitted the bill to the State Duma in June.

The law retains the upper house's status as a non-partisan body, but future senators will have to be voted into office via regional elections.

Currently, each region sends two representatives to the Federation Council - one appointed by the governor and one appointed by the region's legislative assembly. Only a State Duma deputy (from the same region where he or she was elected to the State Duma), a regional legislative assembly deputy, or a deputy from the region's representation body can be a senator.

According to the newly adopted law, only a deputy from the region's legislative assembly is eligible to be a senator from the region's legislative body side. The chairman of the legislative assembly, any party, or one fifth of the legislative assembly can nominate a candidate.

The minimum age for senatorial candidates remains 30 years old.

The approved law toughens the requirements for candidates to become senators. The new requirements include an impeccable reputation and local residency in the region to be represented, for at least five years.