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
- 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. The Constitutional Court shall be the court that has the power, specifically, to administer Justice in matters of a legal and constitutional nature, particularly with respect to:
a) Review of the constitutionality and legality, under the terms of the Constitution;
b) Verification of death and declaration of disability, of impediment or of loss of office of the President of the Republic;
c) Jurisdiction on matters of elections and political party organizations, under the terms of the law;
d) Resolution of conflicts of jurisdiction, under the terms of the law;
e) Writs of amparo.
… (Art. 215) - Portuguese1. O Tribunal Constitucional é o tribunal ao qual compete, especificamente, administrar a Justiça em matérias de natureza jurídicoconstitucional, designadamente, no que se refere a:
a) Fiscalização da constitucionalidade e legalidade, nos termos da Constituição;
b) Verificação da morte e declaração de incapacidade, de impedimento ou de perda de cargo do Presidente da República;
c) Jurisdição em matéria de eleições e de organizações político-partidárias, nos termos da lei;
d) Resolução de conflitos de jurisdição, nos termos da lei;
e) Recurso de amparo.
… (Art. 215)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The laws may, before their promulgation, be deferred to the Constitutional Council by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly or the President of the Senate or by one-tenth at least of the Deputies or the Senators or by the parliamentary groups.
The associations of defense of the Rights of Man legally constituted can equally defer to the Constitutional Council, before their promulgation, the laws concerning the public freedoms.
… (Art. 113) - French
Les 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
- EnglishThe Supreme Constitutional Court shall be solely competent to decide on the constitutionality of laws and regulations, to interpret legislative provisions, and to adjudicate on disputes pertaining to the affairs of its members, on jurisdictional disputes between judicial bodies and entities that have judicial jurisdiction, on disputes pertaining to the implementation of two final contradictory judgments, one of which is rendered by a judicial body or an authority with judicial jurisdiction and the other is rendered by another, and on disputes pertaining to the execution of its judgments and decisions.
The law shall determine the Court’s other competences and regulate the procedures that are to be followed before the Court. (Art. 192) - Arabicتتولى المحكمة الدّستورية العليا دون غيرها الرّقابة القضائيّة على دستوريّة القوانين، واللّوائح، وتفسير النّصوص التّشريعية، والفصل فى المنازعات المتعلّقة بشؤون أعضائها، وفى تنازع الاختصاص بين جهات القضاء والهيئات ذات الاختصاص القضائى، والفصل فى النزاع الذي يقوم بشأن تنفيذ حكمين نهائيين متناقضين صادر أحدهما من أى جهة من جهات القضاء، أو هيئة ذات اختصاص قضائيّ، والآخر من جهة أخرى ، والمنازعات المتعلّقة بتنفيذ أحكامها، والقرارات الصّادرة منها.
يضبط القانون الاختصاصات الأخرى للمحكمة، وينظّم الإجراءات التى تتّبع أمامها. (المادّة 192)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) The Supreme Court shall have an exclusive original jurisdiction—
(a) for the interpretation or enforcement of any provision of this Constitution other than any provision of sections 18 to 33 or section 36(5) (which relate to fundamental rights and freedoms);
(b) on any question whether any law was made in excess of the powers conferred by this Constitution or any other law upon the National Assembly or any other person or authority;
(c) on any question as to whether or not any person was validly elected to the office of President or was validly elected to, or vacated his or her seat in, the National Assembly;
(d) on any question whether any official document should be produced, or its contents disclosed, in proceedings before a court where such production is resisted on the grounds that its production or the disclosure of its contents would be prejudicial to the security of the State or be injurious to the public interest.
(2) Where any question referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) or (d) of subsection (1) arises in any proceedings in any other court, that court shall stay its proceedings and refer the matter to the Supreme Court for its determination, and such other court shall give effect to any decision of the Supreme Court in the matter.
… (Sec. 127)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishWhere any person or any association alleges that any of the rights granted under this Constitution or any legislation or directives are constitutionally contravened, that person or association may invoke the privilege and benefit of court direction, order or writ, including a judgment of unconstitutionality; and anyone injured by an act of the Government or any person acting under its authority, whether in property, contract, tort or otherwise, shall have the right to bring suit for appropriate redress. All such suits brought against the Government shall originate in a Claims Court; appeals from judgment of the Claims Court shall lie directly to the Supreme Court. (Art. 26)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
1. Subject to sections 41(5), 64(5) and 101(1)4, where any person alleges that any provision of this Constitution (other than Chapter II) has been contravened and that his interests are being or are likely to be affected by such contravention, then, without prejudice to any other action with respect to the same matter which is lawfully available, that person may apply to the Supreme Court for a declaration and for relief under this section.
2. The Supreme Court shall have jurisdiction, in any application made by any person in pursuance of subsection (1) or in any other proceedings lawfully brought before the court, to determine whether any provision of this Constitution (other than Chapter II) has been contravened and to make a declaration accordingly:
Provided that the Supreme Court shall, not make a declaration in pursuance of the jurisdiction conferred by this subsection unless it is satisfied that the interests of the person by whom the application under subsection (1) is made or, in the case of other proceedings before the court, a party to these proceedings, are being or are likely to be affected.
3. Where the Supreme Court makes a declaration in pursuance of subsection (2) that any provision of the Constitution has been contravened and the person by whom the application under subsection (1) was made or, in the case of other proceedings before the court, the party in those proceedings in respect of whom declaration is made, seeks relief, the Supreme Court may grant to that person such remedy, being a remedy available against any person in any proceedings in the Supreme Court under any law for the time being in force in Mauritius, as the court considers appropriate.
4. The Chief Justice may make rules with respect to the practice and procedure of the Supreme Court in relation to the jurisdiction and powers conferred on it by this section (including rules with respect to the time within which applications shall be made under subsection (1)).
5. Nothing in this section shall confer jurisdiction on the Supreme Court to hear or determine any such question as is referred to in section 375 or paragraph 2(5), 3(2) or 4(4) of the First Schedule otherwise than upon an application made in accordance with that section or that paragraph, as the case may be. (Sec. 83)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe organic laws, before their promulgation, and the Internal Regulations of the National Assembly, before their application as well as their modifications, must be submitted to the Constitutional Court which decides on their conformity with the Constitution.
To the same end, before their promulgation, the laws may be referred [déférées] to the Constitutional Court by the President of the Republic, by the Prime Minister, by the president of the National Assembly or by one-tenth (1/10) of the Deputies.
… (Art. 131) - FrenchLes lois organiques, avant leur promulgation, et le Règlement intérieur de l'Assemblée nationale, avant sa mise en application ainsi que leurs modifications, doivent être soumis à la Cour constitutionnelle qui se prononce sur leur conformité à la Constitution.
Aux mêmes fins, avant leur promulgation, les lois peuvent être déférées à la Cour constitutionnelle par le Président de la République, le Premier ministre, le président de l'Assemblée nationale ou un dixième (1/10) des députés.
... (Art. 131)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Court shall, in general be responsible for the administration of justice in legal and constitutional matters, under the terms of the Constitution and the law.
2. The Constitutional Court shall be responsible for:
a) Assessing the constitutionality of any rules and other acts of the state;
b) Providing a prior review of the constitutionality of the laws of parliament;
c) Exercising jurisdiction in other legal and constitutional, electoral and party political matters, under the terms of the Constitution and the law;
d) Assessing appeals against the constitutionality of the decisions of the various courts which have refused to apply particular rules on the grounds that they are unconstitutional;
e) Assessing appeals against the constitutionality of rulings made by the various courts that have applied rules whose constitutionality has been questioned during the relevant proceedings.
… (Art. 180) - Portuguese1. Ao Tribunal Constitucional compete, em geral, administrar a justiça em matérias de natureza jurídico-constitucional, nos termos da Constituição e da lei.
2. Compete ao Tribunal Constitucional:
a) Apreciar a constitucionalidade de quaisquer normas e demais actos do Estado;
b) Apreciar preventivamente a constitucionalidade das leis do parlamento;
c) Exercer jurisdição sobre outras questões de natureza jurídicoconstitucional, eleitoral e político-partidária, nos termos da Constituição e da lei;
d) Apreciar em recurso a constitucionalidade das decisões dos demais Tribunais que recusem a aplicação de qualquer norma com fundamento na sua inconstitucionalidade;
e) Apreciar em recurso a constitucionalidade das decisões dos demais Tribunais que apliquem normas cuja constitucionalidade haja sido suscitada durante o processo.
… (Art. 180)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. As long as the Constitutional Court is not legally established, the administration of justice on matters of a legal and constitutional nature shall be carried out by the Supreme Court of Justice, which shall be responsible for:
a) Assessing the unconstitutionality and illegality, pursuant to Articles 144 to 150;
b) Exercising the powers pursuant to Article 133.
… (Art. 156) - Portuguese1. Enquanto o Tribunal Constitucional não for legalmente instalado, a administração da justiça em matéria de natureza jurídico-constitucional passa a ser feita pelo Supremo Tribunal de Justiça, ao qual compete:
a) Apreciar a inconstitucionalidade e a ilegalidade, nos termos dos Artigos 144.º a 150.º;
b) Exercer as competências previstas no Artigo 133.º.
… (Art. 156)