MOSCOW, Russia: At a meeting with the spiritual leaders of Russian Muslims, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that hopefully Muslims in Russia will perform their civic duty and will turn out at polling stations on December 2, the day State Duma elections will be held.

"I very much hope that Russian Muslims will exercise their voting rights as ever and will turn out to vote," Putin said.

The meeting with the president was attended by head of the Russian Muftis’ Council Ravil Gainutdin, Supreme Mufti of the Central Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia Talgat Tajudin and head of the North Caucasus Muslims' Coordination Center Ismail Berdiyev.

Putin stressed the important role that Muslims have played and continue to play in the country's development.

"I would like to stress once again that Russian Muslims’ contribution to the country’s development has always been enormous and they did a great deal for turning our country into a world power," the president said.