The election of regional governors by popular vote will be restored under a bill submitted to parliament by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday.

Under the bill now before the State Duma, or lower house of the parliament, Russia's regional heads would no longer be appointed by the president.

However, the president would retain the right to dismiss governors in cases where there was a conflict of interest or allegations of corruption.

The president's aide, Larisa Brycheva, told media the law would come into force no earlier than May and the incumbent governors would remain in office until their terms expire.

Medvedev vowed to reform Russia's electoral law in his final state-of-the-nation address in December 2011. The direct election of governors was scrapped in 2004 by then president Vladimir Putin.