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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(b) determine the said question of law and return the case to the court from which the case has been so withdrawn together with a copy of its judgment on such question, and the said court shall on receipt thereof proceed to dispose of the case in conformity with such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
- 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 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
- EnglishThe Constitutional Council shall have the competence to guarantee the respect of the Constitution, to interpret the Constitution and the Laws adopted by the National Assembly and definitively reviewed by the Senate.
The Constitutional Council has the right to examine and to decide on litigations related to the elections of the Members of the National Assembly and to the elections of the Senators. (Art. 136) - Khmerក្រុមប្រឹក្សាធម្មនុញ្ញមានសមត្ថកិច្ចធានាការពារការគោរព រដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញ បកស្រាយរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញ និងច្បាប់ដែលរដ្ឋសភា បានអនុម័ត និង ព្រឹទ្ធសភាបានពិនិត្យចប់សព្វគ្រប់ហើយ។
ក្រុមប្រឹក្សាធម្មនុញ្ញមានសិទ្ធិពិនិត្យ និងសម្រេចអំពីករណីវិវាទកម្មទាក់ទងនឹងការបោះឆ្នោតជ្រើសតាំងតំណាងរាស្ត្រ និងការបោះឆ្នោតជ្រើសតាំងសមាជិកព្រឹទ្ធសភា។ (មាត្រា ១៣៦)
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
- English(1) The sole function of the Special Constitutional Court of the United Republic is to hear and give a conciliatory decision over a matter referred to it concerning the interpretation of this Constitution where such interpretation or its application is in dispute between the Government of the United Republic and the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
… (Art. 126)
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
(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
- English
(1) Subject to the provisions of sections 33(2), 34(4), 54(18), 69(6), 80(4) and 123(3) of this Constitution, where any question as to the interpretation of this Constitution or the interpretation or application of the Treaty (as defined in section 131 of this Constitution) arises in any court of law established for Belize (other than the High Court or the Court of Appeal), and the court is of the opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court shall 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, subject to subsection (3) below, give its decision upon the question and the court in which the question arose shall dispose of the case in accordance with that decision or, if the decision is the subject of an appeal to the Court of Appeal or the Caribbean Court of Justice, in accordance with the decision of the Court of Appeal or, as the case may be, the Caribbean Court of Justice.
… (Sec. 96)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) In this section a reference to a person’s “ citizenship status ” is a reference to his status as—
(a) a British citizen,
(b) a British overseas territories citizen,
(c) a British Overseas citizen,
(d) a British National (Overseas),
(e) a British protected person, or
(f) a British subject.
(2)The Secretary of State may by order deprive a person of a citizenship status if the Secretary of State is satisfied that deprivation is conducive to the public good.
...
(4) The Secretary of State may not make an order under subsection (2) if he is satisfied that the order would make a person stateless.
(4A) But that does not prevent the Secretary of State from making an order under subsection (2) to deprive a person of a citizenship status if—
(a) the citizenship status results from the person's naturalisation,
(b) the Secretary of State is satisfied that the deprivation is conducive to the public good because the person, while having that citizenship status, has conducted him or herself in a manner which is seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the United Kingdom, any of the Islands, or any British overseas territory, and
(c) the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds for believing that the person is able, under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom, to become a national of such a country or territory.
... (British Nationality Act 1981, Sec. 40)5