Page "1977 Soviet Constitution" Paragraph 7

Soviet constitutions were frequently amended and had been changed more often than the constitutions of most Western countries.

Nevertheless, the 1977 Constitution attempted to avoid frequent amendment by establishing regulations for government bodies ( especially the lists of ministries, state commissions, and other bodies in the 1936 constitution ) in separate, but equally authoritative, enabling legislation, such as the Law on the Council of Ministers of July 5, 1978.

Other enabling legislation has included a law on citizenship, a law on elections to the Supreme Soviet, a law on the status of Supreme Soviet deputies, regulations for the Supreme Soviet, a resolution on commissions, regulations on local government, and laws on the Supreme Court and the Procuracy.

The enabling legislation provided the specific and changing operating rules for these government bodies.