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
- English
The Constitutional Court is competent to take cognizance of a pleading [exception] of unconstitutionality raised in the course of a process, when it is maintained by one of the parties that the law on which the issue of the litigation depends, infringes the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.
An organic law establishes the conditions and modalities of application of this Article. (Art. 133) - Arabic
تختص المحكمة الدستورية بالنظر في كل دفع متعلق بعدم دستورية قانون، أثير أثناء النظر في قضية، وذلك إذا دفع أحد الأطراف بأن القانون، الذي سيطبق في النزاع، يمس بالحقوق وبالحريات التي يضمنها الدستور.
يحدد قانون تنظيمي شروط وإجراءات تطبيق هذا الفصل. (الفصل 133)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
It corresponds to the Constitutional Tribunal:
1. To take cognizance, in sole instance, of the action of unconstitutionality.
2. To take cognizance, in final and definitive instance, of resolutions denying habeas corpus, amparo, habeas data, and action of cumplimiento.
3. To take cognizance of the conflicts of competence, or of attributions assigned by the Constitution, in accordance with law. (Art. 202) - Spanish
Corresponde al Tribunal Constitucional:
1. Conocer, en instancia única, la acción de inconstitucionalidad.
2. Conocer, en última y definitiva instancia, las resoluciones denegatorias de hábeas corpus, amparo, hábeas data, y acción de cumplimiento.
3. Conocer los conflictos de competencia, o de atribuciones asignadas por la Constitución, conforme a ley. (Art. 202)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) There shall be in and for Malta such Superior Courts having such powers and jurisdiction as may be provided by any law for the time being in force in Malta.
(2) One of the Superior Courts, composed of such three judges as could, in accordance with any law for the time being in force in Malta, compose the Court of Appeal, shall be known as the Constitutional Court and shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine –
(a) such questions as are referred to in article 63 of the Constitution;
(b) any reference made to it in accordance with article 56 of this Constitution and any matter referred to it in accordance with any law relating to the election of members of the House of Representatives;
(c) appeals from decisions of the Civil Court, First Hall, under article 46 of this Constitution;
(d) appeals from decisions of any court of original jurisdiction in Malta as to the interpretation of this Constitution other than those which may fall under article 46 of this Constitution;
(e) appeals from decisions of any court of original jurisdiction in Malta on questions as to the validity of laws other than those which may fall under article 46 of this Constitution; and
(f) any question decided by a court of original jurisdiction in Malta together with any of the questions referred to in the foregoing paragraphs of this sub-article on which an appeal has been made to the Constitutional Court:
Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall preclude an appeal being brought separately before the Court of Appeal in accordance with any law for the time being in force in Malta.
… (Art. 95) - Maltese(1) Għandu jkun hemm f’MaIta u għal Malta dawk il-Qrati Superjuri li jkollhom dawk is-setgħat u ġurisdizzjoni kif ikun provdut b’xi liġi li għal dak iż-żmien tkun isseħħ f’Malta.
(2) Waħda mill-Qrati Superjuri, magħmula minn tlieta mill-imħallfin li jkunu jistgħu, skont xi liġi li għal dak iż-żmien tkun isseħħ f ’Malta, joqgħodu fil-Qorti tal-Appell, għandha tkun magħrufa bħala l-Qorti Kostituzzjonali u jkollha ġurisdizzjoni li tisma’ u tiddeċidi -
(a) dawk il-kwistjonijiet li huma msemmija fl-artikolu 63 tal-Kostituzzjoni;
(b) kull ħaġa riferita lilha skont l-artikolu 56 ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni u kull ħaġa riferita lilha skont kull liġi dwar l-elezzjoni tal-membri tal-Kamra tad-Deputati;
(ċ) appelli minn deċiżjonijiet tal-Prim’Awla tal-Qorti Ċivili skont l-artikolu 46 ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni;
(d) appelli minn deċiżjonijiet ta’ xi qorti ta’ ġurisdizzjoni oriġinali f’Malta fuq kwistjonijiet dwar interpretazzjoni ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni li ma jkunux dawk li jistgħu jaqgħu taħt l-artikolu 46 ta’ din il- Kostituzzjoni;
(e) appelli minn deċiżjonijiet ta’ xi qorti ta’ ġurisdizzjoni oriġinali f’Malta fuq kwistjonijiet dwar il-validità ta’ liġijiet li ma jkunux dawk li jistgħu jaqgħu taħt l-artikolu 46 ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni; u
(f) kull kwistjoni deċiża minn qorti ta’ ġurisdizzjoni oriġinali f’Malta flimkien ma’ xi waħda mill-kwistjonijiet imsemmija fil-paragrafi ta’ qabel ta’ dan is-subartikolu li minnha jkun sar appell lill-Qorti Kostituzzjonali:
Iżda ebda ħaġa li tinsab f’dan il-paragrafu ma ttellef li appell jinġieb separatament quddiem il-Qorti tal-Appell skont xi liġi li għal dak iż-żmien ikun hemm isseħħ f’Malta.
… (Art. 95)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishAny person [particulier] can, either directly, or by the procedure of the plea [exception] of unconstitutionality invoked before a jurisdiction in a matter that concerns him, refer the Constitutional Court to [a matter] concerning the constitutionality of the laws and of the treaties.
In the case of [a] plea of unconstitutionality, the referred jurisdiction postpones [its] decision and grants [impartit] the petitioner a time period of one (1) month from the notification of the decision to refer [the matter] to the Constitutional Court. (Art. 180) - FrenchTout particulier peut, soit directement, soit par la procédure de l’exception d’inconstitutionnalité invoquée devant une juridiction dans une affaire qui le concerne, saisir la Cour constitutionnelle sur la constitutionnalité des lois et des traités.
En cas d’exception d’inconstitutionnalité, la juridiction saisie surseoit à statuer et impartit au requérant un délai d’un (1) mois à partir de la signification de sa décision pour saisir la Cour constitutionnelle. (Art. 180)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) The Supreme Court shall have jurisdiction, to the exclusion of any other court of law in Nigeria, to hear and determine appeals from the Court of Appeal.
(2) An appeal shall lie from the decisions of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court as of right in the following cases–
…
(b) decisions in any civil or criminal proceedings on questions as to the interpretation or application of this Constitution;
(c) decisions in any civil or criminal proceedings on questions as to whether any of the provisions of Chapter IV4 of this Constitution has been, is being or is likely to be, contravened in relation to any person;
… (Sec. 233)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) An appeal shall lie from decisions of the Court of Appeal to the Judicial Committee as of right in the following cases:
…
(c) final decisions in any civil, criminal or other proceedings which involve a question as to the interpretation of this Constitution;
… (Sec. 109)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
2. The President of the Republic, before ratifying an international agreement may refer it to the Constitutional Tribunal with a request to adjudicate upon its conformity to the Constitution.
… (Art. 133) - Polish…
2. Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej przed ratyfikowaniem umowy międzynarodowej może zwrócić się do Trybunału Konstytucyjnego z wnioskiem w sprawie jej zgodności z Konstytucją.
… (Art. 133)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) A person who alleges that any provisions of this Constitution, other than a provision of Chapter III3, has been contravened and that the person’s interest is being or is likely to be affected by the contravention may, subject to this article, apply to the Constitutional Court for redress.
(2) The Constitutional Court may decline to entertain an application under clause (1) where the Court is satisfied that the applicant has obtained redress for the contravention under any law and where the applicant has obtained redress in the Constitutional Court for any matter for which an application may be made under clause (1), a court shall not entertain any application for redress for such matter except on appeal from a decision of such court.
(3) Where the Constitutional Court on an application under clause (1) is satisfied that adequate means of redress for the contravention alleged are or have been available to the person concerned in any other court under any other law, the Court may hear the application or transfer the application to the appropriate court for grant of redress in accordance with law.
(4) Upon hearing an application under clause (1), the Constitutional Court may-
(a) declare any act or omission which is the subject of the application to be a contravention of this Constitution;
(b) declare any law or the provision of any law which contravenes this Constitution to be void;
(c) grant any remedy available to the Supreme Court against any person or authority which is the subject of the application or which is a party to any proceedings before the Constitutional Court, as the Court considers appropriate.
…
(6) Where in the course of any proceedings in any court, other than the Court of Appeal or the supreme court sittings as the Constitutional Court, or tribunal, a question arises with regard to whether there has been or is likely to be a contravention of this Constitution, other than Chapter III, the court or tribunal shall, if it is satisfied that the question is not frivolous or vexatious or has not already been the subject of a decision of the Constitutional Court or the Court of Appeal, immediately adjourn the proceedings and refer the question for determination by the Constitutional Court.
(7) Where in an application under clause (1) or where a matter is referred to the Constitutional Court under clause (6), the person alleging the contravention or risk of contravention establishes a prima facie case, the burden of proving that there has not been a contravention or risk of contravention shall, where the allegation is against the State, be on the State.
… (Art. 130)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Court shall have the competence of oversight on the constitutionality of the applicable laws and regulations and its judgments shall be issued in the name of the King; …
2. The Constitutional Court shall have the right to interpret the provisions of the Constitution if such is requested therefrom by a decision issued by the Council of Ministers or by a decision taken by either House of the Parliament by majority; … (Art. 59) - Arabic1. تختص المحكمة الدستورية بالرقابة على دستورية القوانين والأنظمة النّافذة وتصدر أحكامها باسم الملك، ...
2. للمحكمة الدستورية حق تفسير نصوص الدستور إذا طلب إليها ذلك بقرار صادر عن مجلس الوزراء أو بقرار يتخذه أحد مجلسي الأمة بالأغلبية، ... (المادة 59)