By Nikolai Gorshkov BBC Moscow correspondent

Putin hopes the poll will bring some kind of normalcy in Chechnya

The referendum - hailed by Moscow as the start of a political settlement of the conflict - is to give Chechnya a new constitution that would enshrine its status as an autonomous region of the Russian Federation.

Its opponents say it is ill-prepared and would not reflect the will of the Chechen people.

Moscow is staking its hopes on the 23 March referendum to instil some kind of normalcy in the rebel republic, but the signs are ominous.

'Mockery' poll

First, threats by the rebels to thwart the referendum by new massive attacks.

Chechens say the vote will be rigged by the military

Then, a row with the Council of Europe which refused to send in its observers, arguing that the war-like situation in Chechnya was not conducive to such a poll.

Now, a large body of Russian and Chechen public opinion says the referendum will be a mockery and a lie.

Thirty non-governmental organisations have petitioned President Putin to cancel the referendum.

They claim it was conceived by a group of pro-Moscow bureaucrats who do not represent anybody, and warn that its results would not be recognised by most Chechens.

They suspect the vote will be rigged by the military, who, they say, are the only real power in Chechnya.

On the other hand, they argue that the military have failed to establish any semblance of order in the republic.

Calls for Maskhadov talks

They accuse the army of human rights abuses, and demand a ceasefire before any political moves can be made.

They also remind Moscow that Chechnya does have a constitution, democratically adopted in 1992, and President Aslan Maskhadov, recognised by Russia at the time of his election in 1997.

The only way to end the conflict, the Chechen and Russian non-governmental bodies say, is to start talks with Mr Maskhadov.