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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 Supreme Court shall have an exclusive original jurisdiction—
(a) for the interpretation or enforcement of any provision of this Constitution other than any provision of sections 18 to 33 or section 36(5) (which relate to fundamental rights and freedoms);
(b) on any question whether any law was made in excess of the powers conferred by this Constitution or any other law upon the National Assembly or any other person or authority;
(c) on any question as to whether or not any person was validly elected to the office of President or was validly elected to, or vacated his or her seat in, the National Assembly;
(d) on any question whether any official document should be produced, or its contents disclosed, in proceedings before a court where such production is resisted on the grounds that its production or the disclosure of its contents would be prejudicial to the security of the State or be injurious to the public interest.
(2) Where any question referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) or (d) of subsection (1) arises in any proceedings in any other court, that court shall stay its proceedings and refer the matter to the Supreme Court for its determination, and such other court shall give effect to any decision of the Supreme Court in the matter.
… (Sec. 127)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Supreme Court of Justice through the Constitutional Chamber will be the sole tribunal competent to declare the unconstitutionality of the laws, decrees, and regulations, in their form and content, in a general and obligatory manner, and it may do so on petition by any citizen. (Art. 183)
- SpanishLa Corte Suprema de Justicia por medio de la Sala de lo Constitucional será el único tribunal competente para declarar la inconstitucionalidad de las leyes, decretos y reglamentos, en su forma y contenido, de un modo general y obligatorio, y podrá hacerlo a petición de cualquier ciudadano. (Art. 183)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) The Constitutional Court shall act on an initiative from not fewer than one-fifth of all Members of the National Assembly, the President, the Council of Ministers, the Supreme Court of Cassation, the Supreme Administrative Court or the Prosecutor General. A challenge to competence pursuant to para 1 item 3 of the preceding Article may further be filed by a municipal council.
(2) Should it find a discrepancy between law and the Constitution, the Supreme Court of Cassation or the Supreme Administrative Court shall suspend the proceedings on a case and shall refer the matter to the Constitutional Court.
(3) The Ombudsman may approach the Constitutional Court with a request for declaring as unconstitutional a law which infringes human rights and freedoms.
(4) The Supreme Judicial Council may approach the Constitutional Court with a petition to establish unconstitutionality of any law whereby any rights and freedoms of citizens are violated. (Art. 150) - Bulgarian(1) Конституционният съд действува по инициатива най-малко на една пета от народните представители, президента, Министерския съвет, Върховния касационен съд, Върховния административен съд и главния прокурор. Спорове за компетентност по т. 3 на ал. 1 от предходния член могат да се повдигат и от общинските съвети.
(2) Когато установят несъответствие между закона и Конституцията, Върховният касационен съд или Върховният административен съд спират производството по делото и внасят въпроса в Конституционния съд.
(3) Омбудсманът може да сезира Конституционния съд с искане за установяване на противоконституционност на закон, с който се нарушават права и свободи на гражданите.
(4) Висшият адвокатски съвет може да сезира Конституционния съд с искане за установяване на противоконституционност на закон, с който се нарушават права и свободи на гражданите. (Чл. 150)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishAn appeal shall lie as of right to the Court of Appeal from any decision of the High Court which involves the interpretation of this Constitution, other than a decision of the High Court under section 69(1) of this Constitution:
Provided that no appeal shall lie from a determination of the High Court under this section dismissing an application on the ground that it is frivolous or vexatious. (Sec. 106)
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
- EnglishThe declaration of unconstitutionality of a law and its abrogation [derogación], may be solicited, by anyone who considers himself injured in his direct, personal, and legitimate interest:
1) By way of action that must be brought [entablar] before the Supreme Court of Justice;
2) By way of exception. which may be opposed in any judicial proceeding; and
3) Also[,] the Jurisdictional Organ that takes cognizance in any Judicial proceeding may solicit[,] of office[,] the declaration of unconstitutionality of a Law and its abrogation before dictating a decision [resolución].
In the cases contemplated in numerals 2) and 3), the activity [actuaciones] must be elevated to the Supreme Court of Justice[,] the procedure following from the moment of summons for decision [sentencia], after which the judicial procedure of the partial question in the sphere of the resolution concerning the unconstitutionality must be suspended. (Art. 185) - SpanishLa declaración de inconstitucionalidad de una ley y su derogación, debe solicitarse, por quien se considere lesionado en su interés directo, personal y legítimo:
1) Por vía de acción que se debe entablar ante la Corte Suprema de Justicia;
2) Por vía de excepción, que podrá oponer en cualquier procedimiento judicial; y,
3) También el Órgano Jurisdiccional que conozca en cualquier procedimiento judicial, podrá solicitar de oficio la declaración de inconstitucionalidad de una ley y su derogación antes de dictar resolución.
En los casos contemplados en los numerales 2) y 3), se debe elevar las actuaciones a la Corte Suprema de Justicia, siguiéndose el procedimiento hasta el momento de la citación para la sentencia, a partir de lo cual se debe suspender el procedimiento judicial de la cuestión parcial en espera de la resolución sobre la inconstitucionalidad. (Art. 185)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishIf, during proceedings in progress before a court of law, it is claimed that a legislative provision infringes the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, the matter may be referred by the Conseil d’État or by the Cour de Cassation to the Constitutional Council which shall rule within a determined period.
… (1958 Constitution, Art. 61-1) - FrenchLorsque, à l'occasion d'une instance en cours devant une juridiction, il est soutenu qu'une disposition législative porte atteinte aux droits et libertés que la Constitution garantit, le Conseil constitutionnel peut être saisi de cette question sur renvoi du Conseil d'État ou de la Cour de cassation qui se prononce dans un délai déterminé.
… (Constitution 1958, Art. 61-1)
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
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
- English[The following] are duties and attributions of the Supreme Court of Justice:
…
5. to take cognizance [conocer] and to decide [resolver] on unconstitutionality;
… (Art. 259) - SpanishSon deberes y atribuciones de la Corte Suprema de Justicia:
…
5. conocer y resolver sobre inconstitucionalidad;
… (Art. 259)