Soviets held in Petrograd in November 1917 elected the second Central Executive Committee. This then became the executive body of the RSFSR. It was composed of 62 Bolsheviks 29 Left SRs 10 Mensheviks and Right SRs The first chairman of the VTsIK was Lev Kamenev, who directed the day-to-day work of the committee. He only cast a vote if there was an even split in the committee. The full name at one 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). From the formation of the Soviet Union in 1922, it downgraded from the highest level (federal) to the second-highest level (federal-republic) of a governing body. Following the adoption of the 1936 Soviet Constitution, this organ was replaced with the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR. Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee of the RSFSR Lev Kamenev (November 9–21, 1917) Yakov Sverdlov (November 21, 1917 – March 16, 1919; died in office) Mikhail Vladimirsky (acting; March 16–30, 1919) Mikhail Kalinin (March 30, 1919 – July 15, 1938) On December 30, 1922, the Soviet Union was formed. It comprised the Russian SFSR and other communist-controlled Soviet republics. Mikhail Kalinin retained his position as chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets and became chairman of the newly formed Central Executive Committee of the All-Union Congress of Soviets as well. Both positions were mostly ceremonial, increasingly so in later years. See also Supreme Soviet References Government of the Soviet Union Historical legislatures Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic 1917 establishments in Russia 1938 disestablishments in the Soviet Union