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The Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database is a repository of gender equality related provisions in 194 constitutions from around the world. The Database was updated in partnership with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Japan. Experience its wealth and depth of information by starting your search now.
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
(1) Except for Part IX Land and Titles Court and the laws administered thereunder, the Supreme Court shall:
(a) have such original, appellate and, revisional jurisdiction; and
(b) possess and exercise all the jurisdiction, power, and authority, which may be necessary to administer the laws of Samoa.
(2) Except for Part IX Land and Titles Court and without prejudice to any appellate or revisional jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, where in any proceedings before another Court (except the Court of Appeal) a question arises as to the interpretation or effect of any provision of this Constitution, the Supreme Court may, on the application of any party to the proceedings, determine that question and either dispose of the case or remit it to that other Court to be disposed of in accordance with the determination.
(3) Except for Part IX Land and Titles Court, the Head of State, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, may refer to the Supreme Court for its opinion any question as to the interpretation or effect of any provision of this Constitution which has arisen or appears likely to arise, and the Court shall pronounce its opinion on any question so referred to it. (Art. 70) - Samoan
(1) Ae vagana ai mo le Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma Tulafono o Jo o faafoeina ai i lalo, o le a i ai i le Faamasinoga Sili:
(a) o puleaga faavae, tau talosaga ma le toe iloiloga; ma
(b) i ai ma faatino o puleaga uma, pule ma pule faataga, ia e ono mafai ona talafeagai i le faafoeina o Tulafono a Samoa.
(2) Ae vagana ai mo le Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, ma e aunoa ma le faitioina o so o se itu e uiga i le toe iloiloga a le Faamasinoga Sili, i ni taualumaga i luma o se tasi faamasinoga (vagana ai a le Faamasinoga o Talosaga) e lagaina ai se faamatalaga po o se itu e uiga i le aoga o so o se aiaiga o lenei Faavae, e mafai e le Faamasinoga Sili, i le talosaga a so o se Vaega o tagata o Jo o auai i taualumaga ona faatatauina lena fesili ma faamaapeina le mataupu po o le tuu atu i luma o se tasi Faamasinoga e faamaapeina ai, ina ia talafeagai ma le fuafuaga ua faatatauina.
(3) Ae vagana ai mo le Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, e mafai e le O Le Ao o le Malo, i luga o le fautuaga a le Palemia, ona siligia le Faamasinoga Sili mo sona finagalo i so o se mataupu e faaletonu ai e uiga i le faamatalaga po o se aoga o so o se aiaiga o lenei Faavae ua manu mai po o le faamata o le a manu mai, ma o le a faaalia e le Faamasinoga Sili i le faamasinoga e avanoa mo so o se tasi i sona finagalo e uiga i so o se mataupu na faapea ona tuuina atu ia te ia. (Mataupu 70)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) A person who alleges that –
(a) an enactment or anything contained in or done under the authority of that or any other enactment; or
(b) any act or omission of any person;
is inconsistent with, or is in contravention of a provision of this Constitution, may bring an action in the Supreme Court for a declaration to that effect.
(2) The Supreme Court shall, for the purposes of a declaration under clause (1) of this article, make such orders and give such directions as it may consider appropriate for giving effect, or enabling effect to be given, to the declaration so made.
… (Art. 2)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishAny person may seek amparo before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice for violation of the rights granted by this Constitution.
The habeas corpus may be sought before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice or before the Chambers of Second Instance that do not reside in the capital. The resolution of the Chamber that denies the freedom of the favored person [favorecido] may be the object of review [revisión], at the request of the interested party, by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice. (Art. 247) - SpanishToda persona puede pedir amparo ante la Sala de lo Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia por violación de los derechos que otorga la presente Constitución.
El habeas corpus puede pedirse ante la Sala de lo Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia o ante las Cámaras de Segunda Instancia que no residen en la capital. La resolución de la Cámara que denegare la libertad del favorecido podrá ser objeto de revisión, a solicitud del interesado, por la Sala de lo Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia. (Art. 247)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
1. Recourse to the Constitutional Court is sought upon the request of the:
a) President of the Republic;
b) Prime Minister;
c) Not less than one-fifth of the members of Assembly;
ç) Peoples Advocate;
d) Head of High State Audit;
dh) Any court, as per the provisions of Article 145, paragraph 2, of this Constitution;
e) Any commissioner established by law for the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution;
ë) High Judicial Council and High Prosecutorial Council;
f) Local governance units;
g) Organs of religious communities;
gj) Political parties;
h) Organizations;
i) Individuals.
2. The entities provided for in subparagraphs “d”, “dh”, “e”, “ë”, “f”, “g”, “gj”, “h”, and “i” of paragraph 1 of this Article may file a request only regarding the issues connected to their interests. (Art. 134) - Albanian
1. Gjykata Kushtetuese vihet në lëvizje me kërkesë të: a) Presidentit të Republikës;
b) Kryeministrit;
c) jo më pak se një të pestës së deputetëve;
ç) Avokatit të Popullit;
d) Kryetarit të Kontrollit të Lartë të Shtetit;
dh) çdo gjykate, sipas nenit 145, pika 2, të kësaj Kushtetute;
e) çdo komisioneri të krijuar me ligj për mbrojtjen e të drejtave dhe lirive themelore të garantuara nga Kushtetuta;
ë) Këshillit të Lartë Gjyqësor dhe Këshillit të Lartë të Prokurorisë; f) organeve të qeverisjes vendore;
g) organeve të bashkësive fetare;
gj) partive politike;
h) organizatave;
i) individëve.
2. Subjektet e parashikuara nga nënparagrafët “d”, “dh”, “e”, “ë”, “f”, “g”, “gj”, “h” dhe “i”, të paragrafit 1, të këtij neni, mund të bëjnë kërkesë vetëm për çështje që lidhen me interesat e tyre. (Neni 134)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Court is an independent institution responsible for assuring respect for the Constitution.
The Constitutional Court is the regulatory organ of the functioning of the institutions and of the activity of the public powers.
The Constitutional Court establishes the rules concerning its functioning. (Art. 185) - Arabic
المحكمة الدستورية مؤسسة مستقلة مكلفة بضمان احترام الدّستور.
تضبط المحكمة الدستورية سير المؤسسات ونشاط السلطات العمومية.
تحدد المحكمة الدستورية قواعد عملها. (المــادة 185) - French
La Cour constitutionnelle est une institution indépendante chargée d’assurer le respect de la Constitution.
La Cour constitutionnelle est l’organe régulateur du fonctionnement des institutions et de l’activité des pouvoirs publics.
La Cour constitutionnelle fixe les règles relatives à son fonctionnement. (Art. 185)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Supreme Court shall be final arbiter of constitutional issues and shall exercise final appellate jurisdiction in all cases whether emanating from courts of record, courts not of record, administrative agencies, autonomous agencies or any other authority, both as to law and fact except cases involving ambassadors, ministers, or cases in which a country is a party. In all such cases, the Supreme Court shall exercise original jurisdiction. The Legislature shall make no law nor create any exceptions as would deprive the Supreme Court of any of the powers granted herein. (Art. 66)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
Whenever the executive returns a bill, it shall again be debated in the National Congress, and if it is ratified by a two-thirds vote, it shall again be sent to the executive branch, with this phrase: “Constitutionally ratified” and the executive branch shall publish it forthwith.
If the grounds for the veto are that the bill is unconstitutional, it may not be submitted to a new debate until the opinion of the Supreme Court of Justice has been obtained; the Court shall issue its opinion within such period as the National Congress shall specify. (Art. 216) - Spanish…
Cuando el Ejecutivo devolviere el proyecto, el Congreso Nacional lo someterá a nueva deliberación, y si fuere ratificado por (2/3) dos tercios de votos, lo pasará de nuevo al Poder Ejecutivo, con esta fórmula: "Ratificado Constitucionalmente" y, éste lo publicará sin tardanza.
Si el veto se fundare en que el proyecto de ley es inconstitucional, no podrá someterse a una nueva deliberación sin oír previamente a la Corte Suprema de Justicia; ésta emitirá su dictamen en el término que el Congreso Nacional le señale. (Art. 216)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) The Constitutional Court shall:
1. provide binding interpretations of the Constitution;
2. rule on constitutionality of the laws and other acts passed by the National Assembly and the acts of the President;
3. rule on competence disputes between the National Assembly, the President and the Council of Ministers, and between the bodies of local self-government and the central executive branch of government;
4. rule on the compatibility between the Constitution and the international treaties concluded by the Republic of Bulgaria prior to their ratification, and on the compatibility of domestic laws with the universally recognized norms of international law and the international treaties to which Bulgaria is a party;
5. rule on challenges to the constitutionality of political parties and associations;
6. rule on challenges to the legality of the election of the President and Vice President;
7. rule on challenges to the legality of an election of a Member of the National Assembly;
8. rule on impeachments by the National Assembly against the President or the Vice President.
(2) No authority of the Constitutional Court shall be vested or suspended by law. (Art. 149) - Bulgarian(1) Конституционният съд:
1. дава задължителни тълкувания на Конституцията;
2. произнася се по искане за установяване на противоконституционност на законите и нɚ другите актове на Народното събрание, както и на актовете на президента;
3. решава спорове за компетентност между Народното събрание, президента ɢ Министерския съвет, както и между органите на местно самоуправление и централнитɟ изпълнителни органи;
4. произнася се за съответствието на сключените от Република България международнɢ договори с Конституцията преди ратификацията им, както и за съответствие на законите ɫ общопризнатите норми на международното право и с международните договори, по които Българиɹ е страна;
5. произнася се по спорове за конституционността на политическите партии и сдружения;
6. произнася се по спорове за законността на избора за президент и вицепрезидент;
7. произнася се по спорове за законността на избора на народен представител;
8. произнася се по обвинения, повдигнати от Народното събрание срещу президента ɢ вицепрезидента.
(2) Със закон не могат да се дават или отнемат правомощия на Конституционния съд. (Чл. 149)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
Any citizen can refer [a matter] to the Constitutional Court on the constitutionality of the laws, either directly, or by the procedure of the pleadings [exception] of unconstitutionality invoked in a matter which concerns that citizen before a jurisdiction. That [jurisdiction] must defer until the decision the Constitutional Court which must intervene within a time period of thirty days. (Art. 122)
- French
Tout citoyen peut saisir la Cour constitutionnelle sur la constitutionnalité des lois, soit directement, soit par la procédure de l'exception d'inconstitutionnalité invoquée dans une affaire qui le concerne devant une juridiction. Celle-ci doit surseoir jusqu'à la décision de la Cour constitutionnelle qui doit intervenir dans un délai de trente jours. (Art. 122)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Where any question as to the interpretation of this Constitution arises in any court of law established for Mauritius (other than the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court or a court martial) and the court is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court shall refer the question to the Supreme Court.
… (Sec. 84)