MOSCOW. Dec 11 Rus slans will vote Sunday for their first post Soviet parliament and constitution in a crucial test of the country's growing Imps tlence with President Borts Yeltsin s democratic reforms, reports AP

Yeltsin's prime minister warned on the eve of the his toric election that if the const! tution was rejected Yeltsin might have to declare "direct j'residential rule '

The election is the first real test of Yeltsin s popularity since he sent tanks to pound the old hard-line parliament Into'submlsslon in early October

Reformers are worried that extremist candidates, led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, could win up to 20 per cent of the seats in the new Federal Assembly. That could saddle Yeltsin with a par liament no better than the one he dlsaplved September 21. when he called the new elections.

Zhirinovsky's inflammatory remarks, such as a promise to recapture the former Soviet empire. Outraged many voters but thrilled otliers and provided the only drama in an otherwise dull campaign. It was possible to walk through Moscow with qut glimpsing a single poster, lapel pin or bumper sticker

To mollify voters angered by 900 per cent inflation this year.

Yeltsin nearly doubled most government pensions on Saturday. He also raised benefits for families with children single mothers, orphans and children of army draftees

Polls open at 8 am Sunday and close at 10(pm Because Russia stretches across many time zones, voting will begin at 2000 GMT Saturday In the Russian Far E^^t and finish at 2000 GMT Sunday in Kalin ingrad Results are not expected until Monday.

In Moscow on Saturday, there was more weariness than excitement in the air and many people interviewed on the street said they weren’t planning to vote.