The accelerated procedure for the adoption of the country's highest legal document is motivated by the fact that the negotiations on the final status of Kosovo should be completed soon.
The Serbian political forces that back the new constitution, whose preamble reads that the UN-administered region of Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia, believe that this document will strengthen the position of Serbia's negotiating team in the UN-led talks.
On the other hand, pro-Western parties opposing the new constitution and many nongovernmental organisations have called on the boycott of the referendum. They point out the fact that the country's highest legal document was prepared hastily and that the ruling parties are trying to delude the public with the statement that the text provides for Kosovo as an integral part of Serbia.
They stress that the late autocrat Slobodan Milosevic lost Kosovo in 1999 when NATO launched air-strikes against Serbian forces that were persecuting the local population in the province.
Senior international representatives in Kosovo and Kosovo leaders have said on several occasions that the referendum on the Serbian constitution will have no legal effect on the process of defining the status of the UN-administered region.
After meeting Prime Minister Agim Qeku in Pristina on Friday, the UN Civil Administrator in Pristina, Joachim Ruecker, said that the referendum and attempts to define Kosovo's status were two separate processes.
"The position of the UN Mission in Kosovo is that the referendum has no weight for the current or future status of Kosovo, given that Kosovo's status has been determined by (UN) Resolution 1244 and by the mission, led by Martti Ahtisaari," Ruecker said.
Kosovo institutions and local Albanian parties are outspoken in asking that referendum not be allowed on Kosovo's territory, and the UNMIK has said it does not support its holding but that it will not hamper its organisation (in Kosovo).
For the referendum to succeed it is necessary that out of a total of 6,639,385 eligible citizens, at least fifty percent plus one voter circle Yes on the ballot. This means that 3,319,693 adult Serbians have to vote for the constitution.
Polling stations in Serbia will be open between 0700 am and 0800 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The relevant commission is expected to proclaim official results by 0800 pm on 2 November.
Serbians outside the country will be able to go to the referendum in Serbia's embassies and consulates in 24 countries.
The Serbian authorities are planning to organise the referendum also in the Serb-populated enclaves in Kosovo. According to the Serbian Election Commission, there are about 100,000 voters in those enclaves.