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.
Composition and Appointment
- English
(1) A person is qualified for appointment as a judge of the Constitutional Court if he or she is a Zimbabwean citizen, is at least forty years old and has a sound knowledge of constitutional law and, in addition, possesses one of the following qualifications—
(a) he or she has been a judge of a court with unlimited jurisdiction in civil or criminal matters in a country in which the common law is Roman-Dutch or English, and English is an officially recognised language; or
(b) for at least twelve years, whether continuously or not, he or she has been qualified to practise as a legal practitioner—
(i) in Zimbabwe; or
(ii) in a country in which the common law is Roman-Dutch or English and English is an officially recognised language;
and is currently so qualified to practise.
…
(2) To be appointed as a judge of the Constitutional Court a person must be a fit and proper person to hold office as a judge. (Sec. 177)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court shall perform the following duties, in addition to those granted to it by the law:
1. To be the supreme body for interpreting the Constitution and international human rights treaties ratified by the Ecuadorian State by its rulings and judgments. Its decisions shall be binding.
2. To hear and resolve public claims of unconstitutionality, based either on substantive or procedural grounds, filed against general regulatory acts issued by authorities of the State. The declaration of unconstitutionality shall lead to invalidation of the challenged regulatory act.
3. To declare, by virtue of its office, unconstitutional those norms that are related, when in those cases submitted to its examination it concludes that one or various of them are contrary to the Constitution.
4. To hear and resolve, at the request of a party, claims of unconstitutionality against general administrative acts issued by all public authorities. The declaration of unconstitutionality shall lead to the invalidity of the challenged administrative act.
5. To hear and resolve, at the request of the party, claims of noncompliance that are filed to guarantee enforcement of general administrative regulations or acts, regardless of their nature or hierarchy, as well for enforcement of rulings or reports from international organizations for the protection of human rights that are not enforceable through regular judiciary channels.
6. To issue judgments that constitute binding case law with respect to actions of protection, enforcement, habeas corpus, habeas data, access to public information and other constitutional processes, as well as those cases selected by the Court for review.
7. To arbitrate conflicts of jurisdictions or attributions among the branches of government or bodies established by the Constitution.
8. To ensure, by virtue of its office and immediately, monitoring of the constitutionality of the declarations of state of emergency, when this involves the suspension of constitutional rights.
9. To hear and sanction failure to comply constitutional rulings and decisions.
10. To declare the unconstitutionality incurred by State institutions or public authorities that fail to observe, either totally or partially, the mandates contained in constitutional norms, within the time-limits set by the Constitution or within the time-limits deemed to be reasonable by the Constitutional Court. If this failure persists, after this time-limit has elapsed, the Court shall provisionally issue the regulation or enforce the observance, in accordance with the law. (Art. 436) - SpanishLa Corte Constitucional ejercerá, además de las que le confiera la ley, las siguientes atribuciones:
1. Ser la máxima instancia de interpretación de la Constitución, de los tratados internacionales de derechos humanos ratificados por el Estado ecuatoriano, a través de sus dictámenes y sentencias. Sus decisiones tendrán carácter vinculante.
2. Conocer y resolver las acciones públicas de inconstitucionalidad, por el fondo o por la forma, contra actos normativos de carácter general emitidos por órganos autoridades del Estado.
La declaratoria de inconstitucionalidad tendrá como efecto la invalidez del acto normativo impugnado.
3. Declarar de oficio la inconstitucionalidad de normas conexas, cuando en los casos sometidos a su conocimiento concluya que una o varias de ellas son contrarias a la Constitución.
4. Conocer y resolver, a petición de parte, la inconstitucionalidad contra los actos administrativos con efectos generales emitidos por toda autoridad pública. La declaratoria de inconstitucionalidad tendrá como efecto la invalidez del acto administrativo.
5. Conocer y resolver, a petición de parte, las acciones por incumplimiento que se presenten con la finalidad de garantizar la aplicación de normas o actos administrativos de carácter general, cualquiera que sea su naturaleza o jerarquía, así como para el cumplimiento de sentencias o informes de organismos internacionales de protección de derechos humanos que no sean ejecutables por las vías judiciales ordinarias.
6. Expedir sentencias que constituyan jurisprudencia vinculante respecto de las acciones de protección, cumplimiento, hábeas corpus, hábeas data, acceso a la información pública y demás procesos constitucionales, así como los casos seleccionados por la Corte para su revisión.
7. Dirimir conflictos de competencias o de atribuciones entre funciones del Estado u órganos establecidos en la Constitución.
8. Efectuar de oficio y de modo inmediato el control de constitucionalidad de las declaratorias de los estados de excepción, cuando impliquen la suspensión de derechos constitucionales.
9. Conocer y sancionar el incumplimiento de las sentencias y dictámenes constitucionales.
10. Declarar la inconstitucionalidad en que incurran las instituciones del Estado o autoridades públicas que por omisión inobserven, en forma total o parcial, los mandatos contenidos en normas constitucionales, dentro del plazo establecido en la Constitución o en el plazo considerado razonable por la Corte Constitucional. Si transcurrido el plazo la omisión persiste, la Corte, de manera provisional, expedirá la norma o ejecutará el acto omitido, de acuerdo con la ley. (Art. 436)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
(1) There shall be a Supreme Court in Nepal.
(2) The Supreme Court shall be a court of record. All courts and judicial institutions shall, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, be under the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court shall have the final authority to interpret this Constitution and laws.
…
(4) All shall abide by any interpretation of the Constitution or a law made by or any legal principle laid down by the Supreme Court in the course of hearing a lawsuit. In case anyone makes obstruction in the dispensation of justice or disregard any order or judgment handed down by it or any of its subordinate courts, the Supreme Court may, in accordance with law, initiate proceedings of contempt and impose punishment therefor. (Art. 128) - Nepali
(१) नेपालमा एक सर्वोच्च अदालत हुनेछ ।
(२) सर्वोच्च अदालत अभिलेख अदालत हुनेछ । यस संविधानमा अन्यथा व्यवस्था भएकोमा बाहेक सबै अदालत र न्यायिक निकायहरू सर्वोच्च अदालत मातहत रहनेछन् । संविधान र कानूनको व्याख्या गर्ने अन्तिम अधिकार सर्वोच्च अदालतलाई हुनेछ ।
...
(४) मुद्दा मामिलाका रोहमा सर्वोच्च अदालतले गरेको संविधान र कानूनको व्याख्या वा प्रतिपादन गरेको कानूनी सिद्धान्त सबैले (अदालतहरु र न्यायिक निकायहरु) पालन गर्नु पर्नेछ । सर्वोच्च अदालतले आफ्नो वा मातहतको अदालतको न्यायसम्पादनको कार्यमा कसैले अवरोध गरेमा वा आदेश वा फैसलाको अवज्ञा गरेमा कानून बमोजिम अवहेलनामा कारबाही चलाई सजाय गर्न सक्नेछ । (धारा १२८)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court of Ukraine, upon submission of the President of Ukraine or not less than forty-five People's Deputies of Ukraine, or the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, provides opinions on compliance with the Constitution of Ukraine of international treaties of Ukraine that are in effect, or the international treaties submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for approval of their binding nature.
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine upon submission of the President of Ukraine or not less than forty-five People's Deputies of Ukraine provides opinions on compliance with the Constitution of Ukraine (constitutionality) of questions that are proposed to be put for the all-Ukrainian referendum upon people's initiative.
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine upon the submission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine provides an opinion on the observance of the constitutional procedure of investigation and consideration of the case on removing the President of Ukraine from office by the impeachment procedure. (Art. 151) - UkrainianКонституційний Суд України за зверненням Президента України, або щонайменше сорока п’яти народних депутатів України, або Кабінету Міністрів України надає висновки про відповідність Конституції України чинних міжнародних договорів України або тих міжнародних договорів, що вносяться до Верховної Ради України для надання згоди на їх обов’язковість.
Конституційний Суд України за зверненням Президента України або щонайменше сорока п’яти народних депутатів України надає висновки про відповідність Конституції України (конституційність) питань, які пропонуються для винесення на всеукраїнський референдум за народною ініціативою.
За зверненням Верховної Ради України Конституційний Суд України надає висновок щодо додержання конституційної процедури розслідування і розгляду справи про усунення Президента України з поста в порядку імпічменту. (Стаття 151)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English...
(4) Appeals shall lie from the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court—
(a) as of right in any case involving the interpretation or application of this Constitution;
(b) in any other case in which the Supreme Court, or the Court of Appeal, certifies that a matter of general public importance is involved, subject to clause (5).
… (Art. 163) - Swahili...
(4) Rufaa itakatwa kutoka Mahakama ya Rufaa kwenda Mahakama Kuu-
(a) kama ilivyo kwa haki katika kesi yoyote inayohusisha ufafanuzi au matumizi ya Katiba hii;
(b) katika kesi nyingine yoyote ambayo Mahakama Kuu, au Mahakama ya Rufaa, inathibitisha kwamba suala la umuhimu kwa umma linahusika, kwa kuzingatia ibara ya (5).
… (Kifungu cha 163)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishA constitutional law will develop the matters relative to [the recourse of] amparo, personal exhibition and the constitutionality of the laws. (Art. 276)
- SpanishUna ley constitucional desarrollará lo relativo al amparo, a la exhibición personal y a la constitucionalidad de las leyes. (Art. 276)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Supreme Constitutional Court is charged with control over the constitutionality of the laws as follows:
a. If the President of the Republic or a fifth of the members of the People’s Assembly object to a law before it is passed, on the grounds of its unconstitutionality, it shall be suspended until the Court rules on it within 15 days of the date of lodging the objection at the Court. If the law is urgently needed, the Court shall rule on it within 7 days;
b. If a fifth of the members of the People’s Assembly object to a legislative decree, on the grounds of its unconstitutionality within 15 days of it is being presented to the Assembly, the Court shall rule on it within 15 days of lodging the objection at the Court;
…
2. Considering the claim of the unconstitutionality of a law or a legislative decree and ruling on it takes place as follows:
a. If an opponent making a challenge claimed the unconstitutionality of a legal text applied by the court whose ruling is being challenged, and if the court considering the challenge found that the claim was serious and should be ruled on, it halts the proceedings of the case and refers it to the Supreme Constitutional Court;
… (Art. 147) - Arabicتتولى المحكمة الدستورية العليا الرقابة على دستورية القوانين على النحو الآتي :
1النظر بعدم دستورية قانون والبت فيھا وفقاً لما يأتي:
أإذا اعترض رئيس الجمھورية أو خُمس أعضاء مجلس الشعب على دستورية قانون قبل إصداره يوقف إصداره إلى أن تبت المحكمة فيه خلال مدة خمسة عشر يوماً من تاريخ تسجيل الاعتراض لديھا، وإذا كان للقانون صفة الاستعجال وجب على المحكمة أن تبت فيه خلال مدة سبعة أيا م.
بإذا اعترض خُمس أعضاء مجلس الشعب على دستورية مرسوم تشريعي خلال مدة خمسة عشر يوماً تلي تاريخ عرضه على المجلس، وجب على المحكمة أن تبت فيه خلال خمسة عشر يوماً من تاريخ تسجيل الاعتراض لديھا.
...
2النظر في الدفع بعدم دستورية قانون والبت فيه وفقاً لما يأتي:
أإذا دفع أحد الخصوم في معرض الطعن بالأحكام بعدم دستورية نص قانوني طبقته المحكمة المطعون بقرارھا، ورأت المحكمة الناظرة في الطعن أن الدفع جدي ولازم للبت في الطعن، أوقفت النظر في الدعوى وأحالت الدفع إلى المحكمة الدستورية العلي ا.
... (المادّة 147)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English...
(2) At any time when the judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Court number 4 or more, any judge of the High Court may convene a bench of 3 judges to decide any case in the High Court's jurisdiction, if the convening judge has determined that the case involves either a substantial question of law as to the interpretation or effect of a provision of this Constitution or any other matter of public importance; and, if an insufficient number of judges of the High Court is available, then without prejudice to the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in relation to that case, the remaining members of the bench shall be judges of the Supreme Court.
… (Art. VI, Sec. 3)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court decides obligatorily on:
– the constitutionality of the organic laws and of the laws before their promulgation;
– the internal regulations of the National Assembly, of the High Council of the Collectivities and of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council before their entry into application as to their conformity with the Constitution;
– the conflicts of attribution between the institutions of the State;
– the regularity of the presidential elections, legislative [elections] and the operations of [the] referendum of which it proclaims the results. (Art. 86) - FrenchLa Cour Constitutionnelle statue obligatoirement sur :
• la constitutionnalité des lois organiques et des lois avant leur promulgation;
• les règlements intérieurs de l'Assemblée Nationale, du Haut Conseil des Collectivités et du Conseil Economique, Social et Culturel avant leur mise en application quant à leur conformité à la Constitution;
• les conflits d'attribution entre les institutions de l'Etat;
• la régularité des sélections présidentielles, législatives et des opérations de référendum dont elle proclame les résultats. (Art. 86)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Recourse of Unconstitutionality is established against any law, decree or regulation that is opposed to that provided for by the Political Constitution, [and] may be interposed by any citizen. (Art. 187)
- Spanish
Se establece el Recurso por Inconstitucionalidad contra toda ley, decreto o reglamento que se oponga a lo prescrito por la Constitución Política, el cual podrá ser interpuesto por cualquier ciudadano. (Art. 187)