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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
- EnglishIf the High Court is satisfied that a case pending in a court subordinate to it involves a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitution the determination of which is necessary for the disposal of the case, it shall withdraw the case and may—
(a) either dispose of the case itself, or
(b) determine the said question of law and return the case to the court from which the case has been so withdrawn together with a copy of its judgment on such question, and the said court shall on receipt thereof proceed to dispose of the case in conformity with such judgment. (Art. 228) - Hindiयदि उच्च न्यायालय का यह समाधान हो जाता है कि उसके अधीनस्थ किसी न्यायालय में लंबित किसी मामले में इस संविधान के निर्वचन के बारे में विधि का कोई सारवान प्रश्न अंतर्वलित है जिसका अवधारण मामले के निपटारे के लिए आवश्यक है तो वह उस मामले को अपने पास मंगा लेगा और—
(क) मामले को स्वयं निपटा सकेगा, या
(ख) उक्त विधि के प्रश्न का अवधारण कर सकेगा और उस मामले को ऐसे प्रश्न पर निर्णय की प्रतिलिपि सहित उस न्यायालय को, जिससे मामला इस प्रकार मंगा लिया गया है, लौटा सकेगा और उक्त न्यायालय उसके प्राप्त होने पर उस मामले को ऐसे निर्णय के अनुरूप निपटाने के लिए आगे कार्यवाही करेगा। (अनुच्छेद 228)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe organic laws are obligatorily submitted by the President of the Republic to the Constitutional Court before their promulgation.
The ordinary laws, before their promulgation, may be referred to the Constitutional Court either by the President of the Republic or by the President of the National Assembly or by one-tenth of the Deputies. (Art. 95) - FrenchLes lois organiques sont obligatoirement soumises par le président de la République à la Cour constitutionnelle avant leur promulgation.
Les lois ordinaires, avant leur promulgation, peuvent être déférées à la Cour constitutionnelle soit par le président de la République, soit par le président de l'Assemblée nationale ou par un dixième des députés. (Art. 95)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Court may consider and declare with generally binding force:
a) The unconstitutionality of any norm;
b) The illegality of any norms contained in a legislative act, on the grounds of the breach of a law with superior legal force;
c) The illegality of any norms contained in a regional legislative act, on the grounds of the breach of the autonomous region's statute;
d) The illegality of any norms contained in a legislative act issued by an entity that exercises sovereignty, on the grounds of a breach of those of an autonomous region's rights that are enshrined in its statute.
2. The following may ask the Constitutional Court for a declaration of unconstitutionality or illegality with generally binding force:
a) The President of the Republic;
b) The President of the Assembly of the Republic;
c) The Prime Minister;
d) The Ombudsman;
e) The Attorney General;
f) One tenth of the Members of the Assembly of the Republic;
g) When the grounds for the request for a declaration of unconstitutionality are the breach of the rights of the autonomous regions, or the grounds for the request for a declaration of illegality are the breach of the respective statute, Representatives of the Republic, Legislative Assemblies of the autonomous regions, presidents of Legislative Assemblies of the autonomous regions, presidents of Regional Governments, or one tenth of the members of the respective Legislative Assembly.
3. The Constitutional Court may also consider and declare with generally binding force the unconstitutionality or illegality of any norm, on condition that it has already held the norm unconstitutional or illegal in three concrete cases. (Art. 281) - Portuguese1. O Tribunal Constitucional aprecia e declara, com força obrigatória geral:
a) A inconstitucionalidade de quaisquer normas;
b) A ilegalidade de quaisquer normas constantes de acto legislativo com fundamento em violação de lei com valor reforçado;
c) A ilegalidade de quaisquer normas constantes de diploma regional, com fundamento em violação do estatuto da região autónoma;
d) A ilegalidade de quaisquer normas constantes de diploma emanado dos órgãos de soberania com fundamento em violação dos direitos de uma região consagrados no seu estatuto.
2. Podem requerer ao Tribunal Constitucional a declaração de inconstitucionalidade ou de ilegalidade, com força obrigatória geral:
a) O Presidente da República;
b) O Presidente da Assembleia da República;
c) O Primeiro-Ministro;
d) O Provedor de Justiça;
e) O Procurador-Geral da República;
f) Um décimo dos Deputados à Assembleia da República;
g) Os Representantes da República, as Assembleias Legislativas das regiões autónomas, os presidentes das Assembleias Legislativas das regiões autónomas, os presidentes dos Governos Regionais ou um décimo dos deputados à respectiva Assembleia Legislativa, quando o pedido de declaração de inconstitucionalidade se fundar em violação dos direitos das regiões autónomas ou o pedido de declaração de ilegalidade se fundar em violação do respectivo estatuto.
3. O Tribunal Constitucional aprecia e declara ainda, com força obrigatória geral, a inconstitucionalidade ou a ilegalidade de qualquer norma, desde que tenha sido por ele julgada inconstitucional ou ilegal em três casos concretos. (Art. 281)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishIn specific cases, in every process of whatever competence or jurisdiction, in any instance and in cassation and even before a sentence is decreed, the parties will be able to present as an action [acción], plea [excepción], or incidental issue [incidente], the total or partial unconstitutionality of a law. The tribunal must decide concerning it. (Art. 266)
- SpanishEn casos concretos, en todo proceso de cualquier competencia o jurisdicción, en cualquier instancia y en casación y hasta antes de dictarse sentencia, las partes podrán plantear como acción, excepción o incidente, la inconstitucionalidad total o parcial de una ley. El tribunal deberá pronunciarse al respecto. (Art. 266)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The National Assembly Standing Committee has the following rights and duties:
…
2. To create, interpret and explain the provisions of the Constitution and the laws;
… (Art. 56) - Lao
ຄະນະປະຈໍາສະພາແຫ່ງຊາດມີ ສິດ ແລະ ໜ້າທີ່ດັ່ງນີ້:
…
2. ສະເໜີສ້າງ, ຕີຄວາມໝາຍ, ອະທິບາຍ ລັດຖະທໍາມະນູນ ແລະ ກົດໝາຍ
… (ມາດຕາ. 56) (ປັບປຸງ)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Appropriate principles of interpretation of this Constitution shall be developed and employed by the courts to reflect the unique character and supreme status of this Constitution.
2. In interpreting the provisions of this Constitution a court of law shall—
a. promote the values which underlie an open and democratic society;
b. take full account of the provisions of Chapter III and Chapter IV2; and
c. where applicable, have regard to current norms of public international law and comparable foreign case law.
3. Where a court of law declares an act of executive or a law to be invalid, that court may apply such interpretation of that act or law as is consistent with this Constitution.
4. Any law that ousts or purports to oust the jurisdiction of the courts to entertain matters pertaining to this Constitution shall be invalid. (Sec. 11)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
(1) The Constitutional Court shall decide on complaints of the bodies of territorial self-administration against unconstitutional or unlawful decision or against other unconstitutional or unlawful action into the matters of self-administration, save another court shall decide on its protection.
… (Art. 127a) - Slovak
(1) Ústavný súd rozhoduje o sťaţnostiach orgánov územnej samosprávy proti neústavnému alebo nezákonnému rozhodnutiu alebo inému neústavnému alebo nezákonnému zásahu do vecí územnej samosprávy, ak o jej ochrane nerozhoduje iný súd.
… (Čl. 127a)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation will take cognizance of, in the terms that the regulatory law specifies, the following matters:
I. Of the constitutional disputes [controversias] that, concerning the constitutionality of the general norms, acts or omissions, with the exception of those that refer to electoral matters, arise between:
a) The Federation and a federative entity;
b) The Federation and a municipality;
c) The Executive Power and the Congress of the Union; one or either of the Chambers of it or, in such case, the Permanent Commission;
d) One federative entity and another;
...
g) Two municipalities of different States;
h) Two Powers of one same federative entity;
i) One State and one of its municipalities;
j) One Federative Entity and one Municipality of another or one territorial demarcation of the City of Mexico;
k) Two autonomous constitutional organs [órganos] of one federative entity and between one of these and the Executive Power or the Legislative Power of that federative entity, and
l) Two federal autonomous constitutional organs, and between one of these and the Executive Power of the Union or the Congress of the Union.
...
II. Of the actions of unconstitutionality that have for their object to establish [plantear] the possible contradiction between a norm of general character and this Constitution.
The actions of unconstitutionality can be exercised, during the thirty natural days following the date of publication of the norm, by:
a) The equivalent of thirty-three percent of the members of the Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of the Union, against federal laws;
b) The equivalent of thirty-three percent of the members of the Senate, against the federal laws or international treaties celebrated by the Mexican State;
c) The Federal Executive, through [por conducto] the Juridical Councilor of the Government, against the general norms of federal character and of the federal entities;
d) The equivalent of thirty-three percent of the members of any of the Legislatures of the federative entities against the laws enacted by that same organ;
...
f) The political parties with registration before the National Electoral Institute, by [por conducto] their national directorships [dirigencias], against the federal or local electoral laws; and the political parties with registration in a federative entity, by [a través] their directorships, exclusively against the electoral laws enacted by the Legislature of the federative entity that granted the registration to them;
g) The National Commission of Human Rights, against laws of federal character or of the federative entities, as well as international treaties celebrated by the Federal Executive and approved by the Senate of the Republic, that make vulnerable the human rights consecrated in this Constitution and in the international treaties to which Mexico is party. Also the equivalent organs [organismos] of protection of human rights in the federative entities, against laws enacted by the Legislatures.
h) The guarantor organ [organismo] that Article 6 of this Constitution establishes against laws of federal and local character, as well as [against] international treaties celebrated by the Federal Executive and approved by the Senate of the Republic, which infringe [vulneren] the right of the access to public information and the protection of personal data. In the same way, the equivalent guarantor organs [organismos] in the federative entities, against laws enacted [expedidas] by the local Legislatures; and
i) The Attorney General of the Republic regarding federal laws and [laws] of the federative entities, in penal matters and [matters] of penal procedure, as well as those related to the domain [ámbito] of his functions;
... (Art. 105) - Spanish
La Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación conocerá, en los términos que señale la ley reglamentaria, de los asuntos siguientes:
I. De las controversias constitucionales que, sobre la constitucionalidad de las normas generales, actos u omisiones, con excepción de las que se refieran a la materia electoral, se susciten entre:
a) La Federación y una entidad federativa;
b) La Federación y un municipio;
c) El Poder Ejecutivo y el Congreso de la Unión; aquél y cualquiera de las Cámaras de éste o, en su caso, la Comisión Permanente;
d) Una entidad federativa y otra;
…
g) Dos municipios de diversos Estados;
h) Dos Poderes de una misma entidad federativa;
i) Un Estado y uno de sus Municipios;
j) Una Entidad Federativa y un Municipio de otra o una demarcación territorial de la Ciudad de México;
k) Dos órganos constitucionales autónomos de una entidad federativa, y entre uno de éstos y el Poder Ejecutivo o el Poder Legislativo de esa entidad federativa, y
l) Dos órganos constitucionales autónomos federales, y entre uno de éstos y el Poder Ejecutivo de la Unión o el Congreso de la Unión.
…
II. De las acciones de inconstitucionalidad que tengan por objeto plantear la posible contradicción entre una norma de carácter general y esta Constitución.
Las acciones de inconstitucionalidad podrán ejercitarse, dentro de los treinta días naturales siguientes a la fecha de publicación de la norma, por:
a) El equivalente al treinta y tres por ciento de los integrantes de la Cámara de Diputados del Congreso de la Unión, en contra de leyes federales;
b) El equivalente al treinta y tres por ciento de los integrantes del Senado, en contra de las leyes federales o de tratados internacionales celebrados por el Estado Mexicano;
c) El Ejecutivo Federal, por conducto del Consejero Jurídico del Gobierno, en contra de normas generales de carácter federal y de las entidades federativas;
d) El equivalente al treinta y tres por ciento de los integrantes de alguna de las Legislaturas de las entidades federativas en contra de las leyes expedidas por el propio órgano;
…
f) Los partidos políticos con registro ante el Instituto Nacional Electoral, por conducto de sus dirigencias nacionales, en contra de leyes electorales federales o locales; y los partidos políticos con registro en una entidad federativa, a través de sus dirigencias, exclusivamente en contra de leyes electorales expedidas por la Legislatura de la entidad federativa que les otorgó el registro;
g) La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, en contra de leyes de carácter federal o de las entidades federativas, así como de tratados internacionales celebrados por el Ejecutivo Federal y aprobados por el Senado de la República, que vulneren los derechos humanos consagrados en esta Constitución y en los tratados internacionales de los que México sea parte. Asimismo, los organismos de protección de los derechos humanos equivalentes en las entidades federativas, en contra de leyes expedidas por las Legislaturas;
h) El organismo garante que establece el artículo 6° de esta Constitución en contra de leyes de carácter federal y local, así como de tratados internacionales celebrados por el Ejecutivo Federal y aprobados por el Senado de la República, que vulneren el derecho al acceso a la información pública y la protección de datos personales. Asimismo, los organismos garantes equivalentes en las entidades federativas, en contra de leyes expedidas por las Legislaturas locales; e
i) El Fiscal General de la República respect de leyes federales y de las entidades federativas, en materia penal y procesal penal, así como las relacionadas con el ámbito de sus funciones;
... (Art. 105)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
(1) There shall be a Constitutional Bench in the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Bench shall consist of the Chief Justice and other four Justices designated by the Chief Justice on recommendation of the Judicial Council.
(2) The Bench referred to in clause (1) shall originally hear and settle the following cases, in addition to the petitions filed pursuant to clause (1) of Article 133:-
(a) Disputes relating to jurisdiction between the Federation and a Province, between Provinces, between a Province and a Local Level and between Local Levels;
(b) Disputes relating to election to members of the Federal Parliament or Provincial Assembly and matters relating to disqualification of a member of the Federal Parliament or of the Provincial Assembly.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in Article 133, in case it appears that any case sub judice in the Supreme Court involves a question of serious constitutional interpretation, the Chief Justice may appoint such case to be heard by the Bench referred to in clause (1).
(4) Other provisions relating to the functioning of the Constitutional Bench shall be as determined by the Supreme Court. (Art. 137) - Nepali
(१) सर्वोच्च अदालतमा एक संवैधानिक इजलास रहनेछ । त्यस्तो इजलासमा प्रधान न्यायाधीश र न्याय परिषदको सिफारिसमा प्रधान न्यायाधीशले तोकेका अन्य चारजना न्यायाधीश रहने छन् ।
(२) उपधारा (१) बमोजिमको इजलासले धारा १३३ को उपधारा (१) बमोजिम परेका निवेदनको अतिरिक्त देहायका मुद्दाको शुरू कारबाही र किनारा गर्नेछ ः–
(क) संघ र प्रदेश, प्रदेश र प्रदेश, प्रदेश र स्थानीय तह तथा स्थानीय तहहरू बीचको अधिकार क्षेत्रको बारेमा भएको विवाद सम्बन्धी,
(ख) संघीय संसद वा प्रदेश सभा सदस्यको निर्वाचन सम्बन्धी विवाद र संघीय संसदका सदस्य वा प्रदेश सभाका सदस्यको अयोग्यता सम्बन्धी ।
(३) धारा १३३ मा जुनसुकै कुरा लेखिएको भए तापनि सर्वोच्च अदालतमा विचाराधीन कुनै मुद्दामा गम्भीर संवैधानिक व्याख्याको प्रश्न समावेश भएको देखिएमा त्यस्तो मुद्दा उपधारा (१) बमोजिमको इजलासबाट हेर्ने गरी प्रधान न्यायाधीशले तोक्न सक्नेछ ।
(४) संवैधानिक इजलासको सञ्चालन सम्बन्धी अन्य व्यवस्था सर्वोच्च अदालतले निर्धारण गरे बमोजिम हुनेछ । (धारा १३७)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Council is competent:
a. to evaluate [apreciar] and to declare the unconstitutionality of the laws and the illegality of the normative acts of the organs of the State;
b. to settle conflicts of competence between the organs of sovereignty;
c. to previously verify the constitutionality of the referenda;
d. to evaluate and to deliberate concerning the dismissal of the Governor of [a] Province and of the Administrator of [a] District, by the President of the Republic;
e. to evaluate and to deliberate concerning the dissolution of the provincial, district and autarchic assemblies, by the Council of Ministers.
2. It belongs also to the Constitutional Council:
a. to verify the legal requisites required for the candidatures to President of the Republic;
b. to declare the permanent incapacity of the President of the Republic;
c. to verify the death and the loss of the mandate of the President of the Republic;
d. to evaluate in last instance, the electoral recourses and complaints, to validate
and to proclaim electoral results in the terms of the law;
e. to decide, in last instance, the legality of the constitution of the political parties and their coalitions, as well as to evaluate the legality of their denominations, acronyms, symbols, and to order the respective extinction in the terms of the Constitution and of the law;
f. to judge the actions of impugning of the elections and of deliberation of the organs of the political parties;
g. to judge the actions that have for [their] object disputes relative to the mandate of the Deputies;
h. to judge the actions that have for [their] object the incompatibilities provided for in the Constitution and in the law.
3. The Constitutional Council exercises the other competences that are attributed to it by law. (Art. 243) - Portuguese1. Compete ao Conselho Constitucional:
a) apreciar e declarar a inconstitucionalidade das leis e a ilegalidade dos actos normativos dos órgãos do Estado;
b) dirimir conflitos de competências entre os órgãos de soberania;
c) verificar previamente a constitucionalidade dos referendos;
d) apreciar e deliberar sobre a demissão do Governador de Província e do Administrador de Distrito, pelo Presidente da República;
e) apreciar e deliberar sobre a dissolução das assembleias provinciais, distritais e autárquicas, pelo Conselho de Ministros.
2. Cabe ainda ao Conselho Constitucional:
a) verificar os requisitos legais exigidos para as candidaturas a Presidente da República;
b) declarar a incapacidade permanente do Presidente da República;
c) verificar a morte e a perda de mandato do Presidente da República;
d) apreciar em última instância, os recursos e as reclamações eleitorais, validar e proclamar os resultados eleitorais nos termos da lei;
e) decidir, em última instância, a legalidade da constituição dos partidos políticos e suas coligações, bem como apreciar a legalidade das suas denominações, siglas, símbolos e ordenar a respectiva extinção nos termos da Constituição e da lei;
f) julgar as acções de impugnação de eleições e de deliberação dos órgãos dos partidos políticos;
g) julgar as acções que tenham por objecto o contencioso relativo ao mandato dos deputados;
h) julgar as acções que tenham por objecto as incompatibilidades previstas na Constituição e na lei.
3. O Conselho Constitucional exerce as demais competências que lhe sejam atribuídas por lei. (Art. 243)