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Jurisdiction and Access
- English...
(3) The Constitutional Court-
(a) is the highest court of the Republic; and
(b) may decide -
(i) constitutional matters; and
(ii) any other matter, if the Constitutional Court grants leave to appeal on the grounds that the matter raises an arguable point of law of general public importance which ought to be considered by that Court; and
(c) makes the final decision whether a matter is within its jurisdiction.
(4) Only the Constitutional Court may -
(a) decide disputes between organs of state in the national or provincial sphere concerning the constitutional status, powers or functions of any of those organs of state;
(b) decide on the constitutionality of any parliamentary or provincial Bill, but may do so only in the circumstances anticipated in section 79 or 121;
(c) decide applications envisaged in section 80 or 122;
(d) decide on the constitutionality of any amendment to the Constitution;
(e) decide that Parliament or the President has failed to fulfil a constitutional obligation; or
(f) certify a provincial constitution in terms of section 144.
(5) The Constitutional Court makes the final decision whether an Act of Parliament, a provincial Act or conduct of the President is constitutional, and must confirm any order of invalidity made by the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court of South Africa, or a court of similar status, before that order has any force.
(6) National legislation or the rules of the Constitutional Court must allow a person, when it is in the interests of justice and with leave of the Constitutional Court—
(a) to bring a matter directly to the Constitutional Court; or
(b) to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court from any other court.
(7) A constitutional matter includes any issue involving the interpretation, protection or enforcement of the Constitution. (Sec. 167)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Federal Supreme Court has the following powers:
1. Decide on different disputes among the member Emirates of the UAE, or between any one or more Emirates and the federal government in case that the dispute is remitted to the Court upon the request of any of the concerned parties.
2. Consider the constitutionality of a federal law if it is challenged by one or more Emirates on the grounds that it is in conflict with the Constitution of the UAE. The Court also has the power to consider the constitutionality of a legislation enacted by an Emirate if it is challenged by a federal authority on the grounds that it is in conflict with the Constitution of the UAE or the federal laws.
3. Consider the constitutionality of laws, legislations and regulations in general if it is so requested by any court in the country while hearing a relevant case. The concerned court shall comply with the decision of the Federal Supreme Court rendered in this connection.
4. Interpret the provisions of the Constitution, if it is so requested by any federal authority or by the Government of any Emirate. Any such interpretation is binding on everyone.
5. Call into account the ministers and senior officials of the UAE appointed by decree for their actions while performing their official duties upon the request of the Supreme Council and in accordance with the relevant law.
6. Decide on the crimes which directly affect the interests of the UAE, such as the crimes relating to the UAE’s internal or external security, forgery of the official records or seals of a federal authority, and counterfeiting of currency.
7. Hear the cases of conflict of jurisdiction between a federal court and a local court in an Emirate.
8. Hear the cases of conflict of jurisdiction between a court in an Emirate and a court in another Emirate. The rules governing these cases are regulated by a federal law.
9. Any other powers provided in the Constitution or which may be conferred upon the Federal Supreme Court by a federal law. (Art. 99) - Arabicتختص المحكمة الاتحادية العليا بالفصل في الأمور التالية:
1. المنازعات المختلفة بين الامارات الأعضاء في الاتحاد ، أو بين أية أمارة أو أكثر وبين حكومة الاتحاد ، متى أحيلت هذه المنازعات الى المحكمة بناء على طلب أي طرف من الأطراف المعنية
.2. بحث دستورية القوانين الاتحادية ، اذا ما طعن فيها من قبل امارة أو أكثر لمخالفتها لدستور الاتحاد. وبحث دستورية التشريعات الصادرة عن احدى الامارات ، اذا ما طعن فيها من قبل احدى السلطات الاتحادية ، لمخالفتها لدستور الاتحاد ، أو للقوانين الاتحادية
.3. بحث دستورية القوانين والتشريعات واللوائح عموما ، اذا ما أحيل اليها هذا الطلب من أية محكمة من محاكم البلاد أثناء دعوى منظورة أمامها وعلى المحكمة المذكورة أن تلتزم بقرار المحكمة الاتحادية العليا الصادر بهذا الصدد
.4. تفسير أحكام الدستور اذا ما طلبت اليها ذلك احدى سلطات الاتحاد ، أو حكومة احدى الامارات . ويعتبر هذا التفسير ملزما للكافة
.5. مساءلة الوزراء ، وكبار موظفي الاتحاد المعينين بمرسوم ، عما يقع منهم من أفعال في أداء وظائفهم الرسمية بناء على طلب المجلس الأعلى ووفقا للقانون الخاص بذلك
.6. الجرائم التي لها مساس مباشر بمصالح الاتحاد ، كالجرائم المتعلقة بأمنه في الداخل أو الخارج ، وجرائم تزوير المحررات أو الأختام الرسمية لاحدى السلطات الاتحادية ، وجرائم تزييف العملة
.7. تنازع الاختصاص بين القضاء الاتحادي والهيئات القضائية المحلية في الامارات
.8. تنازع الاختصاص بين هيئة قضائية في امارة وهيئة قضائية في امارة اخرى وتنظم القواعد الخاصة بذلك بقانون اتحادي
.9. أية اختصاصات أخرى منصوص عليها في هذا الدستور أو يمكن أن تحال اليها بموجب قانون اتحادي. (المادّة 99)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. A party to any judicial proceedings, including proceedings on appeal, may, at any stage thereof, raise the question of the unconstitutionality of any law or decision or any provision thereof material for the determination of any matter at issue in such proceedings and thereupon the Court before which such question is raised shall reserve the question for the decision of the Supreme Constitutional Court and stay further proceedings until such question is determined by the Supreme Constitutional Court.
… (Art. 144) - Greek1. Πας διάδικος δικαιούται, καθ’ οιονδήποτε στάδιον της διαδικασίας συμπεριλαμβανομένης και της κατ’ έφεσιν, να εγείρη ζήτημα αντισυνταγματικότητος νόμου ή αποφάσεως η διατάξεώς τινος αυτών ουσιώδους δια την διάγνωσιν της εκκρεμούς ενώπιον του δικαστηρίου υποθέσεως. Tο δικαστήριο, ενώπιον του οποίου εγείρεται το ζήτημα, παραπέμπει παρευθύς τούτο ενώπιον του Aνωτάτου Συνταγματικού Δικαστηρίου και αναστέλλει την πρόοδον της διαδικασίας, μέχρις ου αποφανθή επ αυτού το Aνώτατον Συνταγματικόν Δικαστήριο.
… (Αρθρον 144) - Turkish1. Herhangi bir adli muameledeki bir taraf, temyiz muameleleri dâhil olmak üzere, bu muamelenin herhangi bir safhasında bu muameledeki uyuşmazlık konularından herhangi birinin karara bağlanmasında etkisi olan herhangi bir kanunun veya kararın ya da onun herhangi bir hükmünün Anayasaya aykırılığı meselesini ileri sürebilir ve bunun üzerine, önüne böyle bir mesele ileri sürülen mahkeme, bu meseleyi, karar vermesi için Yüksek Anayasa Mahkemesine sunar ve bu mesele hakkında Yüksek Anayasa Mahkemesince bir karar verilinceye kadar bu muameleyi durdurur.
... (Madde 144)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall:
...
10-1) in the interests of protecting the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, ensuring national security, sovereignty and integrity of the state, sends an appeal to the Constitutional Court on consideration of the law or other legal act that has entered into force for compliance with the Constitution of the Republic, on giving an opinion in the case provided for in paragraph 3 of article 91 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
... (Art. 44) - Kazak
Қазақстан Республикасының Президенті:
...
10-1) адамның және азаматтың құқықтары мен бостандықтарын қорғау, мемлекеттің ұлттық қауіпсіздігін, егемендігі мен тұтастығын қамтамасыз ету мүддесінде, күшіне енген заңды немесе өзге де құқықтық актіні Республика Конституциясына сәйкестігіне қарау туралы, Қазақстан Республикасы Конституциясының 91-бабының 3-тармағында көзделген жағдайда қорытынды беру туралы Конституциялық Сотқа өтініш жолдайды;
... (44-бап)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. An appeal shall lie from decisions of the Court of Appeal to Her Majesty in Council as of right in the following cases-
…
c. final decisions in any civil or criminal proceedings which involve a question as to the interpretation of this Constitution;
… (Sec. 122)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThere is for all Belgium a Constitutional Court, the composition, competences and functioning of which are established by the law.
This Court rules by means of judgments on:
1° those conflicts referred to in Article 141;
2° the violation of Articles 10, 11 and 24 by a law, a federate law or a rule as referred to in Article 134;
3° the violation of constitutional articles that the law determines by a law, a federate law or by a rule as referred to in Article 134.
A matter may be referred to the Court by any authority designated by the law, by any person that can prove an interest or, pre-judicially, by any court.
The Court pronounces by a ruling, under the conditions and according to the terms specified by the law, on every referendum described in Article 39bis before it is organised.
In the cases, under the conditions and according to the terms that it specifies, the law can give the Court competence to pronounce by a judgment on appeals lodged against decisions made by legislative assemblies or bodies thereof regarding the control of electoral expenditure incurred in the elections for the House of Representatives.
… (Art. 142) - DutchEr bestaat voor geheel België een Grondwettelijk Hof, waarvan de samenstelling, de bevoegdheid en de werking door de wet worden bepaald.
Dit Hof doet, bij wege van arrest, uitspraak over:
1° de in artikel 141 bedoelde conflicten;
2° de schending door een wet, een decreet of een in artikel 134 bedoelde regel, van de artikelen 10, 11 en 24;
3° de schending door een wet, een decreet of een in artikel 134 bedoelde regel, van de artikelen van de Grondwet die de wet bepaalt.
De zaak kan bij het Hof aanhangig worden gemaakt door iedere bij wet aangewezen overheid, door ieder die doet blijken van een belang of, prejudicieel, door ieder rechtscollege.
Het Hof doet bij wege van beslissing uitspraak over elke in artikel 39bis bedoelde volksraadpleging, voorafgaandelijk aan de organisatie ervan, onder de voorwaarden en op de wijze bepaald door de wet.
De wet kan, in de gevallen en onder de voorwaarden en op de wijze die zij bepaalt, het Hof de bevoegdheid toekennen om, bij wege van arrest, uitspraak te doen over de beroepen die worden ingesteld tegen de beslissingen van wetgevende vergaderingen of hun organen, betreffende de controle van de verkiezingsuitgaven voor de verkiezingen voor de Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigers.
… (Art. 142) - FrenchIl y a, pour toute la Belgique, une Cour constitutionnelle, dont la composition, la compétence et le fonctionnement sont déterminés par la loi.
Cette Cour statue par voie d’arrêt sur:
1° les conflits visés à l’article 141;
2° la violation par une loi, un décret ou une règle visée à l’article 134, des articles 10, 11 et 24;
3° la violation par une loi, un décret ou une règle visée à l’article 134, des articles de la Constitution que la loi détermine.
La Cour peut être saisie par toute autorité que la loi désigne, par toute personne justifiant d’un intérêt ou, à titre préjudiciel, par toute juridiction.
La Cour statue par voie de décision sur chaque consultation populaire visée à l’article 39bis, préalablement à son organisation, dans les conditions et selon les modalités fixées par la loi.
La loi peut, dans les cas et selon les conditions et les modalités qu’elle détermine, attribuer à la Cour la compétence de statuer, par voie d’arrêt, sur les recours formés contre les décisions des assemblées législatives ou de leurs organes, en matière de contrôle des dépenses électorales engagées pour les élections pour la Chambre des représentants.
… (Art. 142) - GermanEs gibt für ganz Belgien einen Verfassungsgerichtshof, dessen Zusammensetzung, Zuständigkeit und Arbeitsweise durch Gesetz bestimmt werden.
Dieser Verfassungsgerichtshof befindet im Wege eines Entscheids über:
1. die in Artikel 141 erwähnten Konflikte;
2. die Verletzung der Artikel 10, 11 und 24 durch ein Gesetz, ein Dekret oder eine in Artikel 134 erwähnte Regel;
3. die Verletzung der Verfassungsartikel, die das Gesetz bestimmt, durch ein Gesetz, ein Dekret oder eine in Artikel 134 erwähnte Regel.
Der Verfassungsgerichtshof kann angerufen werden von jeder durch Gesetz bezeichneten Behörde, von jedem, der ein Interesse nachweist, oder, zwecks Vorabentscheidung, von jedem Rechtsprechungsorgan.
Der Verfassungsgerichtshof befindet unter Bedingungen und gemäß Modalitäten, die das Gesetz festlegt, im Wege einer Entscheidung über jede in Artikel 39bis erwähnte Volksbefragung vor deren Organisation.
Das Gesetz kann in Fällen, unter Bedingungen und gemäß Modalitäten, die es bestimmt, dem Verfassungsgerichtshof die Zuständigkeit übertragen, im Wege eines Entscheids über Beschwerden zu befinden, die gegen die von gesetzgebenden Versammlungen oder ihren Organen gefassten Beschlüsse über die Kontrolle der Wahlausgaben für die Wahlen der Abgeordnetenkammer eingelegt werden.
… (Art. 142)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Where any question as to the interpretation of this Constitution arises in any proceedings in any subordinate court and the court is of the 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 High Court.
(2) Where any question is referred to the High Court in pursuance of this section, the High Court shall give its decision upon the question and the court in which the question arose shall, subject to any appeal, dispose of the case in accordance with that decision. (Sec. 105)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishAttributions of the Constitutional Tribunal are:
1. To exercise the control of constitutionality of the laws that interpret any precept of the Constitution, of the constitutional organic laws and of the norms of a treaty which concern matters belonging to the latter, prior to their promulgation;
2. To resolve concerning the questions of constitutionality of the original decisions adopted by the Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeal and the Qualifying Tribunal of Elections;
3. To resolve the questions concerning constitutionality which arise during the processing of the Bills of law or of constitutional reform and of the treaties submitted to the approval of the Congress;
4. To resolve the questions which arise concerning the constitutionality of a decree with the force of law;
5. To resolve the questions which arise concerning the constitutionality [of] the convocation to a plebiscite, without prejudice to the attributions which correspond to the Qualifying Tribunal of Elections;
6. To resolve, by the majority of its members in office, [on] the inapplicability of a legal precept having application in any measure that is taken before an ordinary or special tribunal, [having a] result contrary to the Constitution;
7. To resolve, by the majority of four-fifths of its members in office, [on] the unconstitutionality of a legal precept declared inapplicable in conformity with that provided in the previous Numeral;
8. To resolve the complaints in case the President of the Republic does not promulgate a law when he should do so or [when] he promulgates a text different from that which constitutionally corresponds;
9. To resolve [the questions] concerning the constitutionality of a decree or resolution of the President of the Republic which the Office of the Comptroller General has objected to [representar] as[,] in its opinion [estimar][,] unconstitutional, when it is required by the President in conformity with Article 99;
10. To declare the unconstitutionality of the organizations and of the movements or political parties, as well as the responsibility of the persons who have participated in the acts which motivated the declaration of unconstitutionality, in conformity with that provided in the sixth, seventh and eighth paragraphs of Numeral 15 of Article 19 of this Constitution. However, if the affected person is the President of the Republic or the President-elect, the declaration referred to will require, also, the agreement of the Senate adopted by the majority of its members in office;
11. To report to the Senate in the cases to which Article 53, Numeral 7, of this Constitution, refers;
12. To resolve the conflicts of competence which arise between the political or administrative authorities and the tribunals of justice, which do not correspond to the Senate [to resolve];
13. To resolve concerning the constitutional or legal ineligibilities [inhabilidades] which affect a person [from] being appointed Minister of State, [from] remaining in that post, or [from] performing other functions simultaneously;
14. To decide concerning the ineligibilities, incompatibilities and grounds for cessation [of] the responsibilities of the parliamentarians;
15. To qualify the ineligibility invoked by a parliamentarian in the terms of the final paragraph of Article 60 and decide concerning the renunciation of the responsibilities, and
16. To resolve concerning the constitutionality of the supreme decrees, whatever the alleged defect may be, including those that may be issued in the exercise of the independent regulatory power of the President of the Republic, when they concern matters that may be reserved to the law by mandate of Article 63.
In the case of Numeral 1, the Chamber of origin will forward to the Constitutional Tribunal the respective Bill within the five days following the [day] on which it is totally processed by the Congress.3
… (Art. 93) - SpanishSon atribuciones del Tribunal Constitucional:
1º.- Ejercer el control de constitucionalidad de las leyes que interpreten algún precepto de la Constitución, de las leyes orgánicas constitucionales y de las normas de un tratado que versen sobre materias propias de estas últimas, antes de su promulgación;
2º.- Resolver sobre las cuestiones de constitucionalidad de los autos acordados dictados por la Corte Suprema, las Cortes de Apelaciones y el Tribunal Calificador de Elecciones;
3º.- Resolver las cuestiones sobre constitucionalidad que se susciten durante la tramitación de los proyectos de ley o de reforma constitucional y de los tratados sometidos a la aprobación del Congreso;
4º.- Resolver las cuestiones que se susciten sobre la constitucionalidad de un decreto con fuerza de ley;
5º.- Resolver las cuestiones que se susciten sobre constitucionalidad con relación a la convocatoria a un plebiscito, sin perjuicio de las atribuciones que correspondan al Tribunal Calificador de Elecciones;
6°.- Resolver, por la mayoría de sus miembros en ejercicio, la inaplicabilidad de un precepto legal cuya aplicación en cualquier gestión que se siga ante un tribunal ordinario o especial, resulte contraria a la Constitución;
7º.- Resolver por la mayoría de los cuatro quintos de sus integrantes en ejercicio, la inconstitucionalidad de un precepto legal declarado inaplicable en conformidad a lo dispuesto en el numeral anterior;
8º.- Resolver los reclamos en caso de que el Presidente de la República no promulgue una ley cuando deba hacerlo o promulgue un texto diverso del que constitucionalmente corresponda;
9º.- Resolver sobre la constitucionalidad de un decreto o resolución del Presidente de la República que la Contraloría General de la República haya representado por estimarlo inconstitucional, cuando sea requerido por el Presidente en conformidad al artículo 99;
10°.- Declarar la inconstitucionalidad de las organizaciones y de los movimientos o partidos políticos, como asimismo la responsabilidad de las personas que hubieran tenido participación en los hechos que motivaron la declaración de inconstitucionalidad, en conformidad a lo dispuesto en los párrafos sexto, séptimo y octavo del Nº 15º del artículo 19 de esta Constitución. Sin embargo, si la persona afectada fuera el Presidente de la República o el Presidente electo, la referida declaración requerirá, además, el acuerdo del Senado adoptado por la mayoría de sus miembros en ejercicio;
11º.- Informar al Senado en los casos a que se refiere el artículo 53 número 7) de esta Constitución;
12º.- Resolver las contiendas de competencia que se susciten entre las autoridades políticas o administrativas y los tribunales de justicia, que no correspondan al Senado;
13º.- Resolver sobre las inhabilidades constitucionales o legales que afecten a una persona para ser designada Ministro de Estado, permanecer en dicho cargo o desempeñar simultáneamente otras funciones;
14º.- Pronunciarse sobre las inhabilidades, incompatibilidades y causales de cesación en el cargo de los parlamentarios;
15º.- Calificar la inhabilidad invocada por un parlamentario en los términos del inciso final del artículo 60 y pronunciarse sobre su renuncia al cargo, y
16°.- Resolver sobre la constitucionalidad de los decretos supremos, cualquiera sea el vicio invocado, incluyendo aquellos que fueren dictados en el ejercicio de la potestad reglamentaria autónoma del Presidente de la República cuando se refieran a materias que pudieran estar reservadas a la ley por mandato del artículo 63.
En el caso del número 1º, la Cámara de origen enviará al Tribunal Constitucional el proyecto respectivo dentro de los cinco días siguientes a aquél en que quede totalmente tramitado por el Congreso.
... (Art. 93)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Law Committee shall issue statements on the constitutionality of legislative proposals and other matters brought for its consideration, as well as on their relation to international human rights treaties. (Sec. 74)
- Finnish
Eduskunnan perustuslakivaliokunnan tehtävänä on antaa lausuntonsa sen käsittelyyn tulevien lakiehdotusten ja muiden asioiden perustuslainmukaisuudesta sekä suhteesta kansainvälisiin ihmisoikeussopimuksiin. (74 §)
- Swedish
Riksdagens grundlagsutskott skall ge utlåtanden om grundlagsenligheten i fråga om lagförslag och andra ärenden som föreläggs utskottet samt om deras förhållande till internationella fördrag om mänskliga rättigheter. (74 §)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Court decisions shall be subject to appeal to the Constitutional Court whenever:
a) The courts refuse, on the grounds of unconstitutionality, to apply any rule or resolution of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete;
b) They apply rules or resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, whose unconstitutionality has been challenged in the proceedings;
c) They apply rules or resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, which have previously been considered unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court itself.
2. Decisions shall also be subject to appeal to the Constitutional Court whenever:
a) They apply resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, which have previously been considered illegal by the Constitutional Court or whose illegality has been challenged in the proceedings.
b) They refuse to apply, on the grounds of illegality, the resolutions referred to in the preceding subparagraph. (Art. 281) - Portuguese1. Cabe recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional, das decisões dos Tribunais que:
a) Recusem, com fundamento em inconstitucionalidade, a aplicação de qualquer norma ou resolução de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto;
b) Apliquem normas ou resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto cuja inconstitucionalidade haja sido suscitada no processo;
c) Apliquem normas ou resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto que tenham sido anteriormente julgadas inconstitucionais pelo próprio Tribunal Constitucional.
2. Cabe, ainda, recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional das decisões que:
a) Apliquem resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto que tenham sido julgadas anteriormente ilegais pelo próprio Tribunal Constitucional ou cuja ilegalidade haja sido suscitada no processo;
b) Recusem aplicar, com fundamento em ilegalidade, as resoluções referidas na alínea anterior. (Art. 281)