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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
- 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
- English
The Constitutional Court may be referred to [the matter] of the disputes which may arise between the constitutional powers, by the instances enumerated in Article 193 below.
These instances may equally refer to the Constitutional Court to [a matter] with a view to the interpretation of one or more constitutional provisions. The Constitutional Court gives, in this regard, an opinion. (Art. 192) - Arabic
يمكن إخطـار المحكمة الدستورية من طرف الجهات المحددة في المادة 193 أدناه، بشأن الخلافات التي قد تحدث بين السلطات الدستورية.
يمكن لهذه الجهات إخطار المحكمة الدستورية حول تفسير حكم أو عدة أحكام دستورية، وتبدي المحكمة الدستورية رأيا بشأنها. (المــادة 192) - French
La Cour constitutionnelle peut être saisie, par les instances énumérées à l’article 193 ci-dessous, des différends qui peuvent surgir entre les pouvoirs constitutionnels.
Ces instances peuvent également saisir la Cour constitutionnelle en vue de l’interprétation d’une ou de plusieurs dispositions constitutionnelles. La Cour constitutionnelle émet, à ce propos, un avis. (Art. 192)
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)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Where any question as to the interpretation of this Constitution arises in any proceedings in any subordinate court and the court is of the opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court may, and shall, if any party to the proceedings so requests, refer the question to the High Court.
(2) Where any question is referred to the High Court in pursuance of this section, the High Court shall give its decision upon the question and the court in which the question arose shall, subject to any appeal, dispose of the case in accordance with that decision. (Sec. 105)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Supreme Court shall be the custodian of this Constitution and the constitutions of the states.
2. The Supreme Court shall exercise competences as follows:
a. interpret constitutional provisions at the instance of the President, Government of South Sudan, any state government, or any of the two Houses of the National Legislature;
b. be the court of final judicial instance in respect of any litigation or prosecution under National or state law, including statutory and customary law;
c. have original jurisdiction to decide on disputes that arise under this Constitution and the constitutions of states at the instance of individuals, juridical entities or governments;
d. adjudicate on the constitutionality of laws and set aside or strike down laws or provisions of laws that are inconsistent with this Constitution or the constitutions of the states to the extent of the inconsistency;
e. be a court of review and cassation in respect of any criminal, civil and administrative matters arising out of or under the law;
f. have criminal jurisdiction over the President in accordance with Article 103 (2) herein;
g. have criminal jurisdiction over the Vice President, the Speakers of the National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States and the Justices of the Supreme Court;
h. review death sentences imposed by courts in respect of offences committed under the law;
i. receive appeals against decisions and judgments of the courts of appeal;
j. have original and final jurisdiction to resolve disputes between the states and between the National Government and a state in respect of areas of exclusive, concurrent or residual competences;
k. uphold and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms; and
l. have such other competences as prescribed by this Constitution and the law.
… (Art. 126)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Court decisions shall be subject to appeal to the Constitutional Court whenever:
a) The courts refuse, on the grounds of unconstitutionality, to apply any rule or resolution of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete;
b) They apply rules or resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, whose unconstitutionality has been challenged in the proceedings;
c) They apply rules or resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, which have previously been considered unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court itself.
2. Decisions shall also be subject to appeal to the Constitutional Court whenever:
a) They apply resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, which have previously been considered illegal by the Constitutional Court or whose illegality has been challenged in the proceedings.
b) They refuse to apply, on the grounds of illegality, the resolutions referred to in the preceding subparagraph. (Art. 281) - Portuguese1. Cabe recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional, das decisões dos Tribunais que:
a) Recusem, com fundamento em inconstitucionalidade, a aplicação de qualquer norma ou resolução de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto;
b) Apliquem normas ou resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto cuja inconstitucionalidade haja sido suscitada no processo;
c) Apliquem normas ou resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto que tenham sido anteriormente julgadas inconstitucionais pelo próprio Tribunal Constitucional.
2. Cabe, ainda, recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional das decisões que:
a) Apliquem resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto que tenham sido julgadas anteriormente ilegais pelo próprio Tribunal Constitucional ou cuja ilegalidade haja sido suscitada no processo;
b) Recusem aplicar, com fundamento em ilegalidade, as resoluções referidas na alínea anterior. (Art. 281)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The organic laws are those which have for [their] object specifying or completing the provisions relative to the organization or to the functioning of the Institutions, structures and systems specified or qualified as such by the Constitution.
They are voted and modified within the following conditions:
…
- the organic laws can only be promulgated after the declaration by the Constitutional Council of their conformity with the Constitution. (Art. 102) - French
Les lois organiques sont celles qui ont pour objet de préciser ou de compléter les dispositions relatives à l’organisation ou au fonctionnement des Institutions, structures et systèmes prévus ou qualifiés comme tels par la Constitution.
Elles sont votées et modifiées dans les conditions suivantes :
…
- les lois organiques ne peuvent être promulguées qu'après la déclaration par le Conseil constitutionnel de leur conformité à la Constitution. (Art. 102)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The international commitments provided for in Article 120 before their ratification, the constitutional laws adopted by parliamentary vote [voie], the organic laws before their promulgation, [and] the regulations of the parliamentary assemblies before their entry into application, must be deferred by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly or the President of the Senate to the Constitutional Council, which pronounces on their conformity with the Constitution.
... (Art. 134) - French
Les engagements internationaux visés à l'article 120 avant leur ratification, les lois constitutionnelles adoptées par voie parlementaire, les lois organiques avant leur promulgation, les règlements des assemblées parlementaires avant leur mise en application, doivent être déférés par la Président de la République, le Président de l'Assemblée nationale ou le Président du Sénat au Conseil constitutionnel, qui se prononce sur leur conformité à la Constitution.
… (Art. 134)