Abstract: The author examines the existing control powers of state bodies on the basis of the norms of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It is preceded by an analysis of the state control (supervision) currently carried out by federal state bodies, a brief historical overview of the state control bodies of the Soviet period. The proposals for improving modern state control (supervision) are formulated on the basis of the policy statement of the President of the Russian Federation, expressed at the meeting of the XXV St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, held in 2022. The opinion is expressed on the need to restore people's control over the activities of state bodies, for which the relevant proposals are set out. The article consists of an introduction and three parts, in which, on the basis of numerous normative legal acts, it is concluded that there is no control of the people in the modern Russian state over the activities of state bodies, as well as over the activities of local self-government bodies. It is recognized as necessary to restore people's control under the name of either "people's control of public power" or "public-political control".