According to the 21st article of the interim constitution, the Council approved legislation issued by the Government. The same article granted legislative power to the Council of Ministers. The purpose of the Sovereignty Council was to authenticate the legislation issued by the government. The council was incapable of exercising objection to government legislation, as the real power lay in the hands of Prime Minister Abd al-Karim Qasim. In 1959 Abd al-Karim Qasim dissolved the council, and then re-established it. The council was dissolved quietly after the success of the coup on 8 February 1963 .