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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
- English
(1) The Constitutional Court pronounces judgment on the unconstitutionality
1. of laws
a) on application of a court;
b) ex officio in so far as he will have to apply such a law in a suit pending before him;
c) on application by a person who alleges to have infringement of his rights directly by unconstitutionality, if the ordinance has become effective without a judicial decision having been rendered or a ruling having been rendered has become effective for this person;
d) on application by a person who, as a party in a legal matter that has been decided by a court of justice of first instance, alleges infringement of his rights because of the application of an unconstitutional law, on the occasion of an appeal filed against that decision;
(2) of federal laws also on application by a Provincial Government, a third of the members of the National Council or a third of the members of the Federal Council.
(3) of provincial legislation also at the request of the Federal Government or, if the constitutional law of a province so provides, at the request of a third of the members of the Provincial Parliament.
… (Art. 140) - German
(1) Der Verfassungsgerichtshof erkennt über Verfassungswidrigkeit
1. von Gesetzen
a) auf Antrag eines Gerichtes;
b) von Amts wegen, wenn er das Gesetz in einer bei ihm anhängigen Rechtssache anzuwenden hätte;
c) auf Antrag einer Person, die unmittelbar durch diese Verfassungswidrigkeit in ihren Rechten verletzt zu sein behauptet, wenn das Gesetz ohne Fällung einer gerichtlichen Entscheidung oder ohne Erlassung eines Bescheides für diese Person wirksam geworden ist;
d) auf Antrag einer Person, die als Partei einer von einem ordentlichen Gericht in erster Instanz entschiedenen Rechtssache wegen Anwendung eines verfassungswidrigen Gesetzes in ihren Rechten verletzt zu sein behauptet, aus Anlass eines gegen diese Entscheidung erhobenen Rechtsmittels;
2. von Bundesgesetzen auch auf Antrag einer Landesregierung, eines Drittels der Mitglieder des Nationalrates oder eines Drittels der Mitglieder des Bundesrates;
3. von Landesgesetzen auch auf Antrag der Bundesregierung oder, wenn dies landesverfassungsgesetzlich vorgesehen ist, auf Antrag eines Drittels der Mitglieder des Landtages.
… (Art. 140)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Court is the highest jurisdiction of the State in constitutional matters. It is the judge of the constitutionality of the law and it guarantees the fundamental rights of the human person and the public freedoms. It is the regulatory organ of the functioning of the institutions and of the activity of the public powers. (Art. 114)
- French
La Cour constitutionnelle est la plus haute juridiction de l'Etat en matière constitutionnelle. Elle est juge de la constitutionnalité de la loi et elle garantit les droits fondamentaux de la personne humaine et les libertés publiques. Elle est l'organe régulateur du fonctionnement des institutions et de l'activité des pouvoirs publics. (Art. 114)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Supreme Court shall be final arbiter of constitutional issues and shall exercise final appellate jurisdiction in all cases whether emanating from courts of record, courts not of record, administrative agencies, autonomous agencies or any other authority, both as to law and fact except cases involving ambassadors, ministers, or cases in which a country is a party. In all such cases, the Supreme Court shall exercise original jurisdiction. The Legislature shall make no law nor create any exceptions as would deprive the Supreme Court of any of the powers granted herein. (Art. 66)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
Whenever the executive returns a bill, it shall again be debated in the National Congress, and if it is ratified by a two-thirds vote, it shall again be sent to the executive branch, with this phrase: “Constitutionally ratified” and the executive branch shall publish it forthwith.
If the grounds for the veto are that the bill is unconstitutional, it may not be submitted to a new debate until the opinion of the Supreme Court of Justice has been obtained; the Court shall issue its opinion within such period as the National Congress shall specify. (Art. 216) - Spanish…
Cuando el Ejecutivo devolviere el proyecto, el Congreso Nacional lo someterá a nueva deliberación, y si fuere ratificado por (2/3) dos tercios de votos, lo pasará de nuevo al Poder Ejecutivo, con esta fórmula: "Ratificado Constitucionalmente" y, éste lo publicará sin tardanza.
Si el veto se fundare en que el proyecto de ley es inconstitucional, no podrá someterse a una nueva deliberación sin oír previamente a la Corte Suprema de Justicia; ésta emitirá su dictamen en el término que el Congreso Nacional le señale. (Art. 216)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Chancellor of Justice is a government official who scrutinises legislative instruments of the legislative and executive branch of government and of local authorities for conformity with the Constitution and the laws, and who is independent in discharging his or her duties.
… (Sec. 139) - EstonianÕiguskantsler on oma tegevuses sõltumatu ametiisik, kes teostab järelevalvet seadusandliku ja täidesaatva riigivõimu ning kohaliku omavalitsuse õigustloovate aktide põhiseadusele ja seadustele vastavuse üle.
… (§ 139)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court is referred to [a matter] by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate, by one-quarter of the members of the National Assembly or one-quarter of the members of the Senate, or by the Ombudsman.
Every natural or juridical person [personne physique ou morale] interested as well as the Public Ministry may refer the Constitutional Court [to a matter] concerning the constitutionality of the laws, either directly by way of [an] action or indirectly by the procedure of pleadings [exception] of unconstitutionality invoked in a matter submitted to another jurisdiction.
… (Art. 236) - KirundiUmukuru w’Igihugu, Umukuru w’Inama Nshingamateka, Umukuru w’Inama Nkenguzamateka, ica kane c’abashingamateka, ica kane c’abakenguzamateka canke Umuhuza w’abanyagihugu na Reta bafise ububasha bwo kwitura Sentare yubahiriza Ibwirizwa Shingiro.
Umuntu uwo ari we wese abifisemwo inyungu, ishirahamwe iryo ari ryo ryose ribifisemwo inyungu canke abashikirizamanza barashobora kwitura Sentare yubahiriza Ibwirizwa Shingiro bakadoma urutoke ku mabwirizwa n’amategeko yoba yashinzwe biciye kubiri n’Ibwirizwa Shingiro. Bashobora kubigira mu kwishikirira bo nyene Sentare yubahiriza Ibwirizwa Shingiro canke mu kubimenyesha abandi bacamanza mu gihe babonye ko urubanza bariko barabacira rushingiye ku ngingo y’Ibwirizwa canke y’Itegeko iciye kubiri n’Ibwirizwa Shingiro.
… (Ingingo ya 236) - FrenchLa Cour Constitutionnelle est saisie par le Président de la République, le Président de l’Assemblée Nationale, le Président du Sénat, par un quart des membres de l’Assemblée Nationale ou un quart des membres du Sénat, ou par l’ombudsman.
Toute personne physique ou morale intéressée ainsi que le Ministère Public peuvent saisir la Cour Constitutionnelle sur la constitutionnalité des lois, soit directement par voie d’action soit indirectement par la procédure d’exception d’inconstitutionnalité invoquée dans une affaire soumise à une autre juridiction.
… (Art. 236)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Where any question as to the interpretation of this Constitution arises in any court of law established for Mauritius (other than the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court or a court martial) and the court is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court shall refer the question to the Supreme Court.
… (Sec. 84)
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)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Subject to sections 23(3), 37(10)(b), 50(7) and 116(2), any person who alleges that any provision of this Constitution (other than a provision of Chapter II2) has been or is being contravened may, if he or she 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 II) 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 provision 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 or her is such as to affect his or her 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. (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)