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Input: Russian election officials on Monday formally barred  Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny  from running for president  prompting calls from  him  for a boycott of next year's vote.
 Navalny  is implicitly barred from running for office because of a conviction in a fraud case which has been viewed as political retribution.  He  could have run if  he  was given a special dispensation or if  his  conviction was cancelled.
 Incumbent Vladimir Putin  is set to easily win a fourth term in office in the March 18 election  with  his  approval ratings topping 80%.
 Putin  foe clears first step in bid for Russian presidency
Over the past year   Navalny  has mounted a grassroots campaign which reached out to the most remote corners of  Putin 's heartland.
 Navalny   41  is the most serious challenger that  Putin  has faced in all  his  years in power  and the court cases against  him  have been widely seen as a tool to keep  him  from running for office.
In a pre-recorded video message that was released minutes after the Election Commission handed down the decision  Navalny called on  his  supporters to boycott the vote.
"The procedure that we're invited to take part is not an election "  he  said. "Only Putin and the candidates  he  has hand-picked are taking part in it."
Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova told  Navalny  ahead of its vote to bar him that "maybe we would be interested if you were running " but said the conviction doesn't allow the commission to put him on the ballot.
Speaking before the vote   Navalny  told the commission that  their  decision to bar him would be a vote "not against me  but against 16 000 people who have nominated me  against 200 000 volunteers who have been canvassing for me."
The involvement of Ksenia Sobchak  a 36-year-old star TV host  could raise public interest in the race. While Sobchak has denied colluding with the Kremlin  she could attract some of  Navalny 's supporters and help boost attendance.
Sobchak criticized  Navalny 's call for boycotting the vote  saying Monday that the "election is the only way to change something  and boycotting them is inefficient and harmful."

Russian officials bar Navalny from running for president