LAW OF THE GEORGIAN SSR on District Soviets of People‘s Deputies of the Georgian SSR adopted on 9 December 1971

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Article 1. In conformity to the Constitution of the USSR and the Constitution of the Georgian SSR, the District Soviets of People‘s Deputies, as the organ of the state authority in the District, shall deal with all matters of local significance in accordance with the interest of the whole state and of the citizens residing in the area under their jurisdiction, implement the decisions made by the higher organs of state authority; lead the activity of lower People‘s Councils, take part in the discussion of matters of the Republican and All-Union significance, and submit their proposals concerning them. 

Article 2. The District Soviets of People‘s Deputies shall be elected by the citizens residing on the territory of the district through universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballots for a term of 36 months.

The procedures for conducting the elections of the District Soviets shall be determined by the laws of the USSR and of the Georgian SSR, and in the Autonomous SSR of Abkhazia and Autonomous SSR of Adjara – also by the laws of these republics.

Article 6. The District Soviets of the People‘s Deputies shall be guided by the Constitution of the USSR and Georgian SSR, this law. the laws of the USSR and Georgian SSR, decrees and other acts issued by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the Supreme Soviet of Georgian SSR observes the Constitution of the USSR, decision and orders of the Council of Ministers of the USSR and Council of Ministers of the Georgian SSR, decisions of higher Soviets of the People‘s Deputies and their executive committees.

The Soviet of People‘s Deputies in the Abkhaz ASSR and the Adjarian ASSR shall also pursue the Constitution of the Abkhaz ASSR, the Constitution of the Adjarian ASSR, the legislation of the Abkhaz and Adjarian ASSR on the Local Soviets and the other legal acts issued by the Council of Ministers of the Abkhaz ASSR and the Adjarian ASSR.

Article 7. The District Soviet of People‘s Deputies shall make the decisions within the limits established by the legislations of the USSR and the Georgian SSR, and in the Abkhaz and Adjarian ASSR, also in pursuance of the legislation of the Abkhaz and Adjarian ASSR; the District Soviets shall secure the executions of the decisions within the limits of its competence.

The decisions of the District Soviets shall be binding on all enterprises, organizations, and institutions located in district area and on officials and citizens.

In the event of failure of fulfilling the decision of the District soviet and its executive committee by the heads of subordinate enterprises, institutions and organizations, the relevant superior organs have the right to submit the proposals on imposition of disciplinary sanctions even up to removal from the office.  The District Soviet or executive committee shall be informed about results of consideration of the proposals not later than within a month.

Article 8. The District Soviet of People‘s Deputies, directing the work of the city (District subordination), village and settlement Soviets of People‘s Deputies is entitled to revoke the acts of these Soviets if they contradict the relevant legislation.

Article 10.  In accordance with the Regulation on the State Flag of the Georgian SSR, the state flag shall be hoisted on the building while the sessions of District Soviet is held, and on the building of the Executive Committee of the District Soviet the flag shall be hoisted permanently.  In the Abkhaz ASSR and Adjarian ASSR the flag shall be hosted according to the rule established by the regulations on the Flag of Abkhaz ASSR and on the Flag of Adjarian ASSR respectively.

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Article 11. The District Soviet of People‘s Deputies has a status of a Legal Person.

The executive committee of district soviet of People‘s Deputies has the seal with a Coat of Arms approved by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, and in Abkhaz ASSR and Adjarian ASSR they have the seal approved by the respective Presidium.

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Article 36. The District Soviet of People‘s Deputies is entitled to discuss and decide at the sessions the matters within the limits of its jurisdiction provided for by the legislations of the USSR and the Georgian SSR, and in Abkhaz ASSR and Adjarian ASSR, also by the legislation of the respective autonomous republic.

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Article 39. In case of discrepancies of decisions of the District Soviet of People‘s Deputies to the law, they may be revoked by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, and in Abkhaz ASSR, Adjarian ASSR and South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast such decisions may be revoked respectively by the presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Abkhaz ASSR, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Adjarian ASSR and the Soviet of People‘s Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast.

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Article 40.  The executive and administrative organ of the District Soviet of People‘s Deputies is the executive committee elected by the Soviet from among its deputies with the following composition: chairman of the Executive Committee, Vice-Chairmen, a Secretary and members from 4 up to 9.

The membership to the executive committee shall be decided by the District Soviet.

Article 41. The executive committee of the District Soviet shall report on its work at least once a year to the Soviet that elected it and to meetings of citizens at their places of work or residence.

Article  42. The executive committee of the District Soviet of people‘s Deputies of republican subordination (Georgian SSR) shall be accountable both to the Soviet that elected it and to the Council of Ministers of the Georgian SSR.

The executive committee of the District Soviet of people‘s Deputies of republican subordination (Abkhaz ASSR, Adjarian ASSR) shall be accountable both to the Soviet that elected it and the Council of Ministers of the respective Autonomous Republic.

The District Soviet of the People‘s Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast shall be accountable to the Soviet that elected it and to the Soviet of people‘s Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast.

Article 43. The executive committee of District Soviet of People‘s Deputies directs the state, economic and social-cultural development on the territory of the respective Soviet on the basis of decisions of the Soviet of People‘s Deputies and the higher organs of state and administrative authority.

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Article 51. The executive committee of the District Soviet of the People‘s Deputies shall carry out the measures necessary for preparation and holding the elections of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR, Supreme Soviet of the Abkhaz ASSR, Supreme Soviet of the Adjarian ASSR, the local Soviets of People‘s Deputies, as well as of District People‘s Courts in accordance with the legislation.

Article 53. The decisions of the Executive Committee of the District Soviet of People’s Deputies may be revoked by the respective Soviet of People’s Deputies and by the Council of Ministers of the Georgian SSR within the limits of its competence.

The decisions and ordinances of the District Soviets of the Abkhaz ASSR and the Adjarian ASSR may be revoked by the Council of Ministers of the respective autonomous republic within the limits of their competence, and the decisions and ordinances of the District Soviets of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast may be revoked by the District Soviet of the People’s Deputies and the Executive Committee of the Soviet of People’s Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast.

Article 56. The District Soviet of People’s Deputies forms the departments and offices.

The list of departments and offices, as well as the procedure of forming shall be defined by the legislation of the USSR, the Georgian SSR and in the Abkhaz ASSR and Adjarian ASSR also by the legislation of the respective autonomous republic.

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The Competence of the Departments and Offices of the District executive Committees shall be determined by the regulations subject to approval of the Council of Ministers of the Georgian SSR, and in Abkhaz ASSR and the Adjarian ASSR they shall be approved by the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic accordingly.

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Article 61. The District Soviet of People’s Deputies elects the standing commissions from the deputies for the purpose to carry out preliminary consideration of the issues under the competence of the District Soviet, to facilitate execution of decisions and control the activity of the state organs, enterprises and organizations.

Article 62. The major tasks of the standing commissions of the District Soviets of the People’s Deputies are as follows:

Control the implementation of the decisions of District Soviets, its executive committee and higher state organs by the Departments and offices, enterprises, organizations and agencies; safeguard the observance of the legislation of the USSR, the Georgian SSR, and in the Abkhaz ASSR and the Adjarian ASSR the observance of the legislation of the respective Autonomous Republics.

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Article 86. (…)

A deputy of the District Soviet may not be prosecuted, or arrested, or incur a court-imposed penalty without consent of the respective District Soviet or, between its sessions, of the respective executive committee.

The decision of the District Soviet or its executive committee on the issue specified for in section 4 of this Article may be annulled: in Abkhaz ASSR and Adjarian ASSR by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the respective autonomous Republic, and in South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast it may be annulled by the Soviet of People’s Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast at this sending the issue back to the district soviet for reconsideration.  If the District Soviet reaffirms its previous decision, the issue may be decided by the Presidium of the Georgian SSR, and in the Abkhaz ASR and the Adjarian ASSR – by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Autonomous Republic accordingly, and in the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast – by the Soviet of People’s Deputies on the basis of submission of the Procurator of the Georgian SSR, Procurator of the Abkhaz ASSR, Procurator of the Adjarian ASSR and the Procurator of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast.

The deputy shall be ensured other conditions for the unhampered and effective exercise of his rights and duties that are established by the legislation of the USSR, the Georgian SSR and in the Abkhaz ASSR and Adjarian ASSR by the legislation of the respective Autonomous Republic.

(The Book of Georgian Laws, Vol. I. Tbilisi, 1985, p. 277-313)