President Vladimir Putin has signed a law moving Russia's Constitutional Court from Moscow to St. Petersburg, the Kremlin said Monday, according to The Assocaited Press. Supporters of the bill, which was backed by the Kremlin-controlled United Russia party and approved by parliament last month, say relocating the court will upgrade the political status of Russia's second-largest city and Putin's hometown. It comes amid what appears to be a campaign to add to St. Petersburg's coffers and boost its cache by moving some state-controlled companies to the city. A previous version of the bill had been rejected by the upper parliament house, the Federation Council, reflecting judges' reluctance to move out of the capital. The amended bill, which Putin signed into law, will allow for some sessions of the court to be held in Moscow, according to lawmakers, and the court will have a representative office in Moscow. No date was set for the move of the court, and the Kremlin said the timing will be determined by the president and the court judges.
