This article is devoted to the constitutional and legal analysis of the place and role of the institute of public control in the mechanism of countering centrifugal tendencies in public administration in the Russian Federation. The purpose of the research is not only to study modern problems that hinder the development of the institution of public control in the mechanism of countering centrifugal tendencies in public administration, but also to optimize it in order to ensure the preservation and development of state sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the Russian Federation. Materials and methods: a) various research methods are used in this article, in particular, formal-logical; historical-legal; comparative-legal; statistical; sociological; b) the norms of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and current legislation, materials of practical activities of subjects of public control, scientific and educational literature on public control were used as research materials. Despite the fact that the key constitutional principle of the organization and activity of public authorities in Russia is a combination of centralism and decentralization, the predominance of centrifugal tendencies in public administration at the present time in the conditions of negative external influence on our country from a number of foreign states and international organizations will create the basis for the organization and implementation of the processes of undermining state sovereignty, independence and the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation. In this regard, it is of particular scientific and practical interest to study the possibility of using various civil society institutions in countering attempts to organize and implement these processes. The paper formalizes and investigates the main problems that hinder the organization and implementation of public control as a tool to counteract centrifugal tendencies in public administration, and develops and justifies a system of measures to resolve them. The institution of public control in Russia acts as an effective tool to counteract centrifugal tendencies in public administration, but its optimization requires the resolution of numerous problems, including by making appropriate amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Russian Federation and legislation.