SEARCH DATABASE
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
- EnglishAmong the constitutional and legal functions of the Supreme Court of Justice shall be the following:
1. To guard the integrity of the Constitution. For this purpose, and after hearing the opinion of the Attorney General of the Nation or the Solicitor General of the Administration, the Court in plenary session shall try and rule on cases concerning the unconstitutionality of laws, decrees, decisions, resolutions and other acts that for reasons of substance or form are challenged before it, by any person.
When during the proceedings of a case, the public official entrusted with the administration of Justice considers, or it is observed by one of the parties, that the legal or regulatory provision applicable to the case is unconstitutional, he/she shall submit the question to the cognizance of the Court in plenary session, except when the provision has already been the subject of a decision, and shall order a continuance of the case, until the question of constitutionality is decided.
The parties only shall be able to formulate such observations one time during the process of a case;
… (Art. 206) - SpanishLa Corte Suprema de Justicia tendrá, entre sus atribuciones constitucionales y legales, las siguientes:
1. La guarda de la integridad de la Constitución para lo cual la Corte en pleno conocerá y decidirá, con audiencia del Procurador General de la Nación o del Procurador de la Administración, sobre la inconstitucionalidad de las Leyes, decretos, acuerdos, resoluciones y demás actos que por razones de fondo o de forma impugne ante ella cualquier persona.
Cuando en un proceso el funcionario público encargado de impartir justicia advirtiere o se lo advirtiere alguna de las partes que la disposición legal o reglamentaria aplicable al caso es inconstitucional, someterá la cuestión al conocimiento del pleno de la Corte, salvo que la disposición haya sido objeto de pronunciamiento por parte de ésta, y continuará el curso del negocio hasta colocarlo en estado de decidir.
Las partes sólo podrán formular tales advertencias una sola vez por instancia.
… (Art. 206)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishIf the Constitutional Council, on a referral from the President of the Republic, from the Prime Minister, from the President of one or the other Houses, or from sixty Members of the National Assembly or sixty Senators, has held that an international undertaking contains a clause contrary to the Constitution, authorization to ratify or approve the international undertaking involved may be given only after amending the Constitution. (1958 Constitution, Art. 54)
- FrenchSi le Conseil constitutionnel, saisi par le Président de la République, par le Premier ministre, par le président de l'une ou l'autre assemblée ou par soixante députés ou soixante sénateurs, a déclaré qu'un engagement international comporte une clause contraire à la Constitution, l'autorisation de ratifier ou d'approuver l'engagement international en cause ne peut intervenir qu'après révision de la Constitution. (Constitution 1958, Art. 54)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Public Prosecutor’s Office and persons who, in conformity with the law regulating the constitutionality review process, have legitimacy to file an appeal, shall have the right to appeal with the Constitutional Court.
2. The appeal referred to in the preceding paragraph may only be filed after resort to other appeals provided for in the law of the proceedings in which the judgment was handed down have been exhausted, and the appeal shall be limited to the question of unconstitutionality or illegality, as the case may be.
3. The appeal filed against the decisions referred to in subparagraph c) of paragraph 1 and in the first part of subparagraph a) of paragraph 2 of the preceding article shall be mandatorily filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office. (Art. 282) - Portuguese1. Podem recorrer para o Tribunal Constitucional, o Ministério Público e as pessoas que, de acordo com a lei reguladora do processo de fiscalização da constitucionalidade, tenham legitimidade para interpor recurso.
2. O recurso referido no artigo anterior só pode ser interposto depois de esgotadas as vias de recurso estabelecidos na lei do processo em que foi proferida a decisão e é restrito à questão da inconstitucionalidade ou da ilegalidade, conforme o caso.
3. O recurso das decisões previstas na alínea c) do número 1 e da primeira parte da alínea a) do nº 2 do artigo antecedente é obrigatório para o Ministério Público. (Art. 282)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Council shall with, general binding force, evaluate and pronounce upon the unconstitutionality of laws and the illegality of other normative acts of State offices, at any time during which they are in force.
2. The following may request the Constitutional Council to pronounce upon the unconstitutionality of laws, or on the illegality of normative acts of State offices:
a. the President of the Republic;
b. the President of the Assembly of the Republic;
c. at least one third of the deputies of the Assembly of the Republic;
d. the Prime Minister;
e. the Attorney General of the Republic;
f. the Ombudsman;
g. two thousand citizens.
3. The law shall establish rules on the admission of actions for the evaluation of unconstitutionality. (Art. 244) - Portuguese1. O Conselho Constitucional aprecia e declara, com força obrigatória geral, a inconstitucionalidade das leis e a ilegalidade dos demais actos normativos dos órgãos do Estado, em qualquer momento da sua vigência.
2. Podem solicitar ao Conselho Constitucional a declaração de inconstitucionalidade das leis ou de ilegalidade dos actos normativos dos órgãos do Estado:
a) o Presidente da República;
b) o Presidente da Assembleia da República;
c) um terço, pelo menos, dos deputados da Assembleia da República;
d) o Primeiro-Ministro;
e) o Procurador-Geral da República;
f) o Provedor de Justiça;
g) dois mil cidadãos.
3. A lei regula o regime de admissão das acções de apreciação de inconstitucionalidade. (Art. 244)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of section 22(2), 38(8)(b), 102(2) and 105(10) of this Constitution, any person who alleges that any provisions of this Constitution (other than a provision of Chapter 13 thereof) has been or is being contravened may, if he has a relevant interest, apply to the High Court for a declaration and for relief under this section.
(2) The High Court shall have jurisdiction on an application made under this section to determine whether any provision of this Constitution (other than a provision of Chapter 1 thereof) has been or is being contravened and to make a declaration accordingly.
(3) Where the High Court makes a declaration under this section that a provision of this Constitution has been or is being contravened and the person on whose application the declaration is made has also applied for relief, the High Court may grant to that person such remedy as it considers appropriate, being a remedy available generally under any law in proceedings in the High Court.
(4) The Chief Justice may make rules with respect to the practice and procedure of the High Court in relation to the jurisdiction and powers conferred on the Court by or under this section, including provisions with respect to the time within which any application under this section may be made.
(5) A person shall be regarded as having a relevant interest for the purpose of an application under this section only if the contravention of this Constitution alleged by him is such as to affect his interests.
(6) The rights conferred on a person by this section to apply for a declaration and relief in respect of an alleged contravention of this Constitution shall be in addition to any other action in respect of the same matter that may be available to that person under any law.
(7) Nothing in this section shall confer jurisdiction on the High Court to hear or determine any such question as is referred to in section 36 of this Constitution. (Sec. 96)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishJudges may not apply any laws that are in conflict with the Constitution.
In cases when there are grounds to believe that a law or another legal act that should be applied in a concrete case is in conflict with the Constitution, the judge shall suspend the consideration of the case and shall apply to the Constitutional Court, requesting that it decide whether the law or another legal act in question is in compliance with the Constitution. (Art. 110) - LithuanianTeisėjas negali taikyti įstatymo, kuris prieštarauja Konstitucijai.
Tais atvejais, kai yra pagrindo manyti, kad įstatymas ar kitas teisinis aktas, kuris turėtų būti taikomas konkrečioje byloje, prieštarauja Konstitucijai, teisėjas sustabdo šios bylos nagrinėjimą ir kreipiasi į Konstitucinį Teismą prašydamas spręsti, ar šis įstatymas ar kitas teisinis aktas atitinka Konstituciją. (110 straipsnis)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishBefore their promulgation, laws may be referred to the Constitutional Council by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly or the President of the Senate or at least one tenth of the deputies or senators or by parliamentary groups.
Legally constituted human rights associations may also refer, to the Constitutional Council, before their promulgation, laws relating to civil liberties.
… (Art. 113) - FrenchLes lois peuvent, avant leur promulgation, être déférées au Conseil constitutionnel par le Président de la République, le Président de l'Assemblée nationale ou le Président du Sénat ou par un dixième au moins des députés ou des sénateurs ou par les groupes parlementaires.
Les associations de défense des droits de l'homme légalement constituées peuvent également déférer au Conseil constitutionnel, avant leur promulgation, les lois relatives aux libertés publiques.
… (Art. 113)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Where any question as to the interpretation or application of this Constitution arises in any proceedings in any court of law in any part of Nigeria (other than in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or a High Court) and the court is of the opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court may, and shall if any of the parties to the proceedings so requests, refer the question to the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or a High Court having jurisdiction in that part of Nigeria and the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or the High Court shall
(a) if it is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, refer the question to the Court of Appeal; or
(b) if it is of opinion that the question does not involve a substantial question of law, remit the question to the court that made the reference to be disposed of in accordance with such directions as the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or the High Court may think fit to give.
(2) Where any question as to the interpretation or application of this constitution arises in any proceedings in the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or a High Court, and the court is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court may, and shall if any party to the proceedings so requests, refer the question to the Court of Appeal; and where any question is referred in pursuance of this subsection, the court shall give its decision upon the question and the court in which the question arose shall dispose of the case in accordance with that decision.
(3) Where any question as to the interpretation or application of this constitution arises in any proceedings in the Court of Appeal and the court is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court may, and shall if any party to the proceedings so requests, refer the question to the Supreme Court which shall give its decision upon the question and give such directions to the Court of Appeal as it deems appropriate. (Sec. 295)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Constitutional justice shall be administered by the Constitutional Court, ensuring the primacy of the Constitution.
2. When administering justice, the Constitutional Court shall be independent and shall abide only by the Constitution.
3. The powers of the Constitutional Court shall be stipulated by the Constitution, while the procedure of its formation and functioning shall be stipulated by the Constitution and the Law on the Constitutional Court. (Art. 167) - Armenian1. Սահմանադրական արդարադատությունն իրականացնում է Սահմանադրական դատարանը` ապահովելով Սահմանադրության գերակայությունը:
2. Արդարադատություն իրականացնելիս Սահմանադրական դատարանն անկախ է և ենթարկվում է միայն Սահմանադրությանը:
3. Սահմանադրական դատարանի լիազորությունները սահմանվում են Սահմանադրությամբ, իսկ կազմավորման և գործունեության կարգը` Սահմանադրությամբ և Սահմանադրական դատարանի մասին օրենքով: (Հոդված 167)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
In cases brought before the Courts, the Courts have the power and the duty to review whether applying a statutory provision is contrary to the Constitution, and whether applying other decisions under the exercise of public authority is contrary to the Constitution or the law of the land. (Art. 89)
- Norwegian
I saker som reises for domstolene, har domstolene rett og plikt til å prøve om det strider mot Grunnloven å anvende en lovbestemmelse, og om det strider mot Grunnloven eller landets lover å anvende andre beslutninger truffet under utøving av offentlig myndighet. (§ 89)