The Supreme Soviet (Верховный Совет, Verhovniy Sovet, literally the "Supreme Council") comprised the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in the interim of the sessions of the Congress of Soviets, and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments. It elected the Presidium, formed the Supreme Court, and appointed the Procurator General of the USSR. Before the 1936 Soviet Constitution it was known as the Congress of Soviets (Центральный Исполнительный Комитет, or ЦИК). Its prototype (before the creation of the Soviet Union) was All-Russian Central Executive Committee (Всероссийский Центральный Исполнительный Комитет or ВЦИК), whose full name at a certain time was All-Russian Central Executive Committee of Workers', Peasants', Red Army, and Cossack Deputies (Всероссийский Центральный Исполнительный Комитет Советов рабочих, крестьянских, красноармейских и казачьих депутатов). Soviet Union - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Congress of Soviets was the supreme governing body of the RSFSR and the USSR in two periods, from 1917 to 1936 and from 1989 to 1991. ... An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (Президиум Верховного Совета СССР in Russian, or Prezidium Verkhovnogo Soveta) was a Soviet governmental body. ... Prosecutor General of the USSR (Генеральный прокурор СССР in Russian, or Generalny prokuror SSSR), was the highest functionary of the Office of Public Prosecutor of the USSR, responsible for the whole system of offices of public prosecutors and supervision of their activities on the territory of the Soviet Union. ... The 1936 Soviet constitution, adopted on December 5, 1936, and also known as the Stalin constitution, redesigned the government. ... Soviet Union - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

The Supreme Soviet was made up of two chambers, each with equal legislative powers, with members elected for five-year terms:

• the Soviet of the Union, elected on the basis of population with one deputy for every 300,000 people in the Soviet federation
• the Soviet of Nationalities, supposed to represent the ethnic populations, with members elected on the basis of 25 deputies from each union republic, 11 from each autonomous republic, five from each autonomous region, and one from each autonomous oblast.

In 1989 there were 750 members in each chamber. The Supreme Soviet met regularly twice a year but it could be called into extraordinary session. The Presidium carried out the day-to-day operations of the Supreme Soviet when it was not in session. Soviet of the Union (Совет Союза in Russian, or Soviet Soyuza), was one of the two chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot in accordance with the following rule: 1 deputy from 300,000 people. ... Soviet of Nationalities (Совет Национальностей in Russian), was one of the two chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. ... In its final decades of its existence, the Soviet Union consisted of 15 Soviet Socialist Republics (SSR), often called simply Soviet republics. ... In its final decades of its existence, the Soviet Union consisted of 15 Soviet Socialist Republics (SSR), often called simply Soviet republics. ... An autonomous region or autonomous district is a subnational region with special powers of self-rule. ... An oblast (Russian, Ukrainian: о́бласть) is a name for the subnational entity of Bulgaria, Russian Federation, Ukraine, and the former Soviet Union. ... The Presidium or Praesidium (from Latin praesidium meaning protection or defense so plural presidia or praesidia) is the name for the executive committee of various legislative and organizational bodies. ...

In practice, the Supreme Soviet functioned as a rubber stamp to legislation originating from less representative but more powerful bodies, like the Politburo. Rubber stamp, is a political metaphor referring to an institution that has little power and rarely disagrees with more powerful organs. ... The Politburo (in Russian: Политбюро), known as the Presidium from 1952 to 1966, functioned as the central policymaking and governing body of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. ...

Each republic of the Soviet Union also had its own Supreme Soviet, a one-chamber legislature functioning along similar lines. In its final decades of its existence, the Soviet Union consisted of 15 Soviet Socialist Republics (SSR), often called simply Soviet republics. ...

The Supreme Soviet officially dissolved the USSR and itself on December 26, 1991. After the dissolution of USSR, the Supreme Soviets of republics of the Soviet Union became the legislatures of independent countries. The Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR and the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian SFSR were the legislature of Russia until being dissolved during the 1993 constitutional crisis. December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Congress of Soviets was the supreme governing body of the RSFSR and the USSR in two periods, from 1917 to 1936 and from 1989 to 1991. ... Boris Yeltsin was President of the Russian Federation at the time of the crisis. ...