Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, approved Friday constitutional changes to extend presidential and parliamentary terms from four to six and five years respectively.

The bill was passed by the State Duma by 392 votes to 57 in the third and final reading, and those who voted against it are all members of the Communist Party, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The draft law has yet to be voted on by the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, and by regional legislatures.

The constitutional amendments, proposed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in his first state-of-the-nation address earlier this month, will enter into force once they have been approved by both houses of parliament and at least two-thirds of regional legislatures and published in a government newspaper.

To counterbalance an extension of the presidential term, the lawmakers also voted unanimously for another bill, which requires the government report annually to the State Duma on its work and answer questions raised by the parliament.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2008)