Kremlin critic barred from election

MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- Russia's Central Election Commission disqualified one of Kremlin's critics from the country's presidential election Sunday, claiming that the signatures collected for his nominating petitions were forged, the state news agency said Sunday.

The commission, which accepts and checks election documents, said about 80,000 signatures -- about 13 percent -- that Mikhail Kasyanov collected in support of his candidacy were "unauthentic and invalid," Interfax reported.

The 13 percent figure is nearly three times more than the maximum allowed, the news agency said.

Kasyanov was prime minister under President Vladimir Putin but was fired in 2004 amid growing disagreements between the two over several issues.

Kasyanov's spokeswoman confirmed to CNN that he had been barred from running in the elections, scheduled for March 2. He will not appeal the decision, a representative told Interfax.

Under Russia's constitution, Putin must step down as president when his second consecutive term comes to an end.

Putin has thrown his weight behind Dmitry Medvedev, endorsing him as the party's presidential candidate.

Medvedev, who is chairman of the state energy giant Gazprom, returned the favor by asking Putin to serve as prime minister if he is elected leader.

Putin told the congress last month that he would not attempt to change the distribution of power between the president and prime minister if he became premier. In Russia, the prime minister has significantly less power than the president.

Putin and his party enjoy huge popular support in Russia. The United Russia party swept parliamentary elections in December, winning nearly two-thirds of the national vote.

With Putin's backing and no significant opposition candidates throwing their hats into the ring, it is widely expected Medvedev, 42, will coast to victory in the elections. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Mike Sefanov contributed to this report.