Vladimir Putin has recently introduced a bill into the Duma that will raise the age limit of senior public servants from 65 to 70 years old, reports Interfax via the Kremlin press service.

"In order to preserve the civil service of highly qualified senior staff,  the bill allows federal civil servants, who work as 'heads,' referring to a top group of posts, to extend their period of the civil service, if signed off by the President of the Russian Federation, to the age of 70 years old," explains a note to the bill amending the law "On Civil Service."

It mentions that the current federal law of 27 July 2004  entitles "On State Civil Service of the Russian Federation" had set the age limit for the civil service at 60.

"The implementation of the proposed legislation will make it consistent with the general trend,  others laws of the Russian Federation in respect to judges, prosecutors and members of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, have set the age limit  in their posts at 70," the document says.

The current law allows an employee who has reached the age limit, with their consent, to extend their civil service until the age of 65.

In May, Putin proposed removing all restrictions that prevented the reappointment of Supreme Court Judge Vyacheslav Lebedev. Putin suggested changing paragraphs of the law "On the Judicial System" and the law "On courts of general jurisdiction," the law "On the Status of Judges in the Russian Federation", which stated that the Supreme Court chairman and his deputies can not hold office for more than two consecutive terms. Later, the State Duma and the Federation Council adopted amendments that introduced changes allowing Lebedev's reappointment.

The age limit for federal judge used to be 70. Lebedev took office in 1989, this year he is 69 years old.