Supreme Soviet of the USS.R.

The highest state power of the USS.R. (Soviet Union), including its Federal Republics and the Autonomous Republics, it exercises sole legislative power. In consists of two houses with equal rights: the Council of the Union and the Council of Nationalities. The “Council of the Union” is elected by the citizens of the USS.R. —one deputy for every 300,000 of the population. The “Council of Nationalities” consists of deputies appointed by the Supreme Councils of the Federal and Autonomous Republics and by the Soviets (assemblies) of the autonomous provinces.

According to the Constitution adopted by the Soviet Union in 1936, the Deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USS.R. are elected by secret ballot by all citizens who enjoy voting rights according to universal and equal voting with a term of four years.

The Supreme Soviet of the USS.R. appoints the members of the government, i.e., the Council of People's Commissars (re-named as the Council of Ministers since February 1946), appoints the president of the Supreme Court and the Procurator of the USS.R.. The Supreme Soviet of the USS.R. elects its Presidium to exercise the functions and powers of the Supreme Soviet when the Supreme Soviet of the USS.R. is not in session, which should report to the Supreme Soviet of the USS.R. on its work.

The Supreme Soviet of the USS.R. consists of the federal level Supreme Court of the USS.R. and the Supreme Courts of the Union Republics, which enjoy equal powers, both of which elects three standing committees: the Bills Commission, the Budget Commission and the Foreign Affairs Commission. The federal level Supreme Court of the USS.R. defends the common interests of the working people of the whole Soviet Union, and Supreme Courts of the Union Republics defends the interests of the working people living in the Union Republics in accordance with their national characteristics.