Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union

The Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union (Russian: Центральный исполнительный комитет СССР) was the highest governing body in the Soviet Union in the interim of the sessions of the Congress of Soviets, existed from 1922 until 1938, when it was replaced by the Supreme Soviet of first convocation.

Structure

It was made up of two chambers according to the 1924 Soviet Constitution: the Soviet of the Union and the Soviet of Nationalities. Beside it there were Central Executive Committees in federal republics, such as the All-Russian Central Executive Committee (in Russia), Belorussian Central Executive Committee (in Belorussia) and the All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee (in Ukraine).

Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR

This position was held by four people at once.

• Mikhail Kalinin (December 30, 1922 - January 12, 1938) (concurrently Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the RSFSR)
• Grigory Petrovsky (December 30, 1922 - January 12, 1938) (concurrently Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Ukrainian SSR)
• Aleksandr Chervyakov (December 30, 1922 - June 16, 1937) (concurrently Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Belorussian SSR)
• Nariman Narimanov (December 30, 1922 - March 19, 1925)
• Gazanfar Musabekov (May 21, 1925 - June 1937)
• Nedirbay Aytakov (May 21, 1925 - 21 July 1937) (concurrently Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Turkmen SSR)
• Fayzulla Khodzhayev (May 21, 1925 - June 17, 1937)
• Nusratullo Maksum (or Nusratullo Lutfullayev) (March 18, 1931 - January 4, 1934) (concurrently Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Tajik SSR)
• Abdullo Rakhimbayev (4 January 1934 - September 1937)

Powers

The 1924 Soviet Constitution defined the powers of the CEC as:

• Calling of the Congresses of Soviets
• Election of the USSR Council of the People's Commissars (Sovnarkom)
• Adoption of Soviet decrees and legislative acts.
• Work on legislation and management.