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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...
(3) The Constitutional Court-
(a) is the highest court of the Republic; and
(b) may decide -
(i) constitutional matters; and
(ii) any other matter, if the Constitutional Court grants leave to appeal on the grounds that the matter raises an arguable point of law of general public importance which ought to be considered by that Court; and
(c) makes the final decision whether a matter is within its jurisdiction.
(4) Only the Constitutional Court may -
(a) decide disputes between organs of state in the national or provincial sphere concerning the constitutional status, powers or functions of any of those organs of state;
(b) decide on the constitutionality of any parliamentary or provincial Bill, but may do so only in the circumstances anticipated in section 79 or 121;
(c) decide applications envisaged in section 80 or 122;
(d) decide on the constitutionality of any amendment to the Constitution;
(e) decide that Parliament or the President has failed to fulfil a constitutional obligation; or
(f) certify a provincial constitution in terms of section 144.
(5) The Constitutional Court makes the final decision whether an Act of Parliament, a provincial Act or conduct of the President is constitutional, and must confirm any order of invalidity made by the Supreme Court of Appeal, the High Court of South Africa, or a court of similar status, before that order has any force.
(6) National legislation or the rules of the Constitutional Court must allow a person, when it is in the interests of justice and with leave of the Constitutional Court—
(a) to bring a matter directly to the Constitutional Court; or
(b) to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court from any other court.
(7) A constitutional matter includes any issue involving the interpretation, protection or enforcement of the Constitution. (Sec. 167)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe National People’s Congress exercises the following functions and powers:
…
(2) to supervise the enforcement of the Constitution;
… (Art. 62) - Chinese全国人民代表大会行使下列职权:
…
(二)监督宪法的实施;
… (第六十二条)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishA.- In constitutional matters, the Supreme Court rules in sovereign fashion over:
1°) compliance of the National Council’s rules of procedure with constitutional and, if need be, legislative provisions under the conditions prescribed by article 61;
2°) appeals on petitions for annulment, petitions to review validity and actions for damages arising from violations of these rights and freedoms prescribed in chapter III3 of the Constitution, and which are not referred to in subsection B of the present article.
…
C.- The Supreme Court rules over conflicts of jurisdiction. (Art. 90) - FrenchA. - En matière constitutionnelle, le Tribunal Suprême statue souverainement :
l°) sur la conformité du règlement intérieur du Conseil National aux dispositions constitutionnelles et, le cas échéant, législatives, dans les conditions prévues à l'article 61 ;
2°) sur les recours en annulation, en appréciation de validité et en indemnité ayant pour objet une atteinte aux libertés et droits consacrés par le Titre III de la Constitution, et qui ne sont pas visés au paragraphe B du présent article.
…
C.- Le Tribunal Suprême statue sur les conflits de compétence juridictionnelle. (Art. 90)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
If the Constitutional Council, referred [to the matter] by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly or of the Senate or by one-tenth at least of the Deputies or of the Senators, has declared that an international treaty or agreement includes a clause contrary to the Constitution, the authorization to ratify it can take place only after revision of the Constitution. (Art. 122)
- French
Si le Conseil constitutionnel, saisi par le Président de la République, le Président de l'Assemblée nationale ou du Sénat ou par un dixième au moins des députés ou des sénateurs, a déclaré qu'un traité ou un accord international comporte une clause contraire à la Constitution, l'autorisation de le ratifier ne peut intervenir qu'après la révision de la Constitution. (Art. 122)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Subject to Article 28, the Constitutional Court has original and final jurisdiction to hear—
a. a matter relating to the interpretation of this Constitution;
b. a matter relating to a violation or contravention of this Constitution;
…
2. Subject to Article 28 (2), where a question relating to this Constitution arises in a court, the person presiding in that court shall refer the question to the Constitutional Court.
3. Subject to Article 28, a person who alleges that—
a. an Act of Parliament or statutory instrument;
b. an action, measure or decision taken under law; or
c. an act, omission, measure or decision by a person or an authority; contravenes this Constitution, may petition the Constitutional Court for redress.
4. A decision of the Constitutional Court is not appealable to the Supreme Court. (Art. 128)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishAny court may refer a question of law to the Constitutional Tribunal as to the conformity of a normative act to the Constitution, ratified international agreements or statute, if the answer to such question of law will determine an issue currently before such court. (Art. 193)
- PolishKażdy sąd może przedstawić Trybunałowi Konstytucyjnemu pytanie prawne co do zgodności aktu normatywnego z Konstytucją, ratyfikowanymi umowami międzynarodowymi lub ustawą, jeżeli od odpowiedzi na pytanie prawne zależy rozstrzygnięcie sprawy toczącej się przed sądem. (Art. 193)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Popular Action (la Accion Popular) shall proceed against any act or omission by the authorities or individuals or collectives that violates or threatens to violate rights and collective interests related to public patrimony, space, security and health, the environment and other rights of a similar nature that are recognized by this Constitution. (Art. 135)
- SpanishLa Acción Popular procederá contra todo acto u omisión de las autoridades o de personas individuales o colectivas que violen o amenacen con violar derechos e intereses colectivos, relacionados con el patrimonio, el espacio, la seguridad y salubridad pública, el medio ambiente y otros de similar naturaleza reconocidos por esta Constitución. (Art. 135)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Supreme Federal Court is responsible, essentially, for safeguarding the Constitution, and it is within its competence:
I – to institute legal proceeding and trial, in the first instance, of:
a) direct actions of unconstitutionality of a federal or state law or normative act, and declaratory actions of constitutionality of a federal law or normative act;
b) in common criminal offenses, the President of the Republic, the Vice-President, the members of the National Congress, its own Justices and the Attorney-General of the Republic;
c) in common criminal offenses and crimes of malversation, the Ministers of State and the Commanders of the Navy, the Army, and the Air Force, except as provided in article 52, I, the members of the Superior Courts, those of the Federal Audit Court and the heads of permanent diplomatic missions;
d) habeas corpus, when the petitioner is any one of the persons referred to in the preceding subitems; the writ of mandamus and habeas data against acts of the President of the Republic, of the Directing Boards of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Federal Senate, of the Federal Audit Court, of the Attorney-General of the Republic and of the Supreme Federal Court itself;
e) litigation between a foreign State or an international organization and the Union, a state, the Federal District or a territory;
f) disputes and conflicts between the Union and the states, the Union and the Federal District, or between one another, including the respective indirect administration bodies;
g) extradition requested by a foreign state;
h) (revoked);
i) habeas corpus, when the constraining party is a Superior Court, or when the constraining party or the petitioner is an authority or employee whose acts are directly subject to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Federal Court, or in the case of a crime, subject to the same jurisdiction in one sole instance;
j) criminal review of and actions to overrule its final judgements;
l) claims for the preservation of its powers and guarantee of the authority of its decisions;
m) enforcement of court decisions in the cases where it has original competence, the delegation of duties to perform procedural acts being allowed;
n) a suit in which all members of the judicature are directly or indirectly involved, and a suit in which more than half of the members of the court of origin are disqualified or have a direct or indirect interest;
o) conflicts of powers between the Superior Court of Justice and any other courts, between Superior Courts, or between the latter and any other court;
p) petitions of provisional remedy in direct actions of unconstitutionality;
q) writs of injunction, when drawing up of the regulation is the responsibility of the President of the Republic, of the National Congress, of the Chamber of Deputies, of the Federal Senate, of the Directing Boards of one of these legislative houses, of the Federal Audit Court, of one of the Superior Courts, or of the Supreme Federal Court itself;
r) lawsuits against the National Council of Justice and against the National Council of the Public Prosecution;
II – to judge on ordinary appeal:
a) habeas corpus, writs of mandamus, habeas data and writs of injunction decided in a sole instance by the Superior Courts, in the event of a denial;
b) political crimes;
III – to judge, on extraordinary appeal, cases decided in a sole or last instance, when the decision appealed:
a) is contrary to a provision of this Constitution;
b) declares a treaty or a federal law unconstitutional;
c) considers valid a law or act of a local government contested in the light of this Constitution;
d) considers valid a local law challenged in the light of a federal law.
Paragraph 1. A claim of non-compliance with a fundamental precept deriving from this Constitution shall be examined by the Supreme Federal Court, under the terms of the law.
… (Art. 102) - Portuguese
Compete ao Supremo Tribunal Federal, precipuamente, a guarda da Constituição, cabendo-lhe:
I - processar e julgar, originariamente:
a) a ação direta de inconstitucionalidade de lei ou ato normativo federal ou estadual e a ação declaratória de constitucionalidade de lei ou ato normativo federal;
b) nas infrações penais comuns, o Presidente da República, o Vice-Presidente, os membros do Congresso Nacional, seus próprios Ministros e o Procurador-Geral da República;
c) nas infrações penais comuns e nos crimes de responsabilidade, os Ministros de Estado e os Comandantes da Marinha, do Exército e da Aeronáutica, ressalvado o disposto no art. 52, I, os membros dos Tribunais Superiores, os do Tribunal de Contas da União e os chefes de missão diplomática de caráter permanente;
d) o habeas corpus, sendo paciente qualquer das pessoas referidas nas alíneas anteriores; o mandado de segurança e o habeas data contra atos do Presidente da República, das Mesas da Câmara dos Deputados e do Senado Federal, do Tribunal de Contas da União, do Procurador-Geral da República e do próprio Supremo Tribunal Federal;
e) o litígio entre Estado estrangeiro ou organismo internacional e a União, o Estado, o Distrito Federal ou o Território;
f) as causas e os conflitos entre a União e os Estados, a União e o Distrito Federal, ou entre uns e outros, inclusive as respectivas entidades da administração indireta;
g) a extradição solicitada por Estado estrangeiro;
h) (Revogado pela Emenda Constitucional nº 45, de 2004)
i) o habeas corpus, quando o coator for Tribunal Superior ou quando o coator ou o paciente for autoridade ou funcionário cujos atos estejam sujeitos diretamente à jurisdição do Supremo Tribunal Federal, ou se trate de crime sujeito à mesma jurisdição em uma única instância;
j) a revisão criminal e a ação rescisória de seus julgados;
l) a reclamação para a preservação de sua competência e garantia da autoridade de suas decisões;
m) a execução de sentença nas causas de sua competência originária, facultada a delegação de atribuições para a prática de atos processuais;
n) a ação em que todos os membros da magistratura sejam direta ou indiretamente interessados, e aquela em que mais da metade dos membros do tribunal de origem estejam impedidos ou sejam direta ou indiretamente interessados;
o) os conflitos de competência entre o Superior Tribunal de Justiça e quaisquer tribunais, entre Tribunais Superiores, ou entre estes e qualquer outro tribunal;
p) o pedido de medida cautelar das ações diretas de inconstitucionalidade;
q) o mandado de injunção, quando a elaboração da norma regulamentadora for atribuição do Presidente da República, do Congresso Nacional, da Câmara dos Deputados, do Senado Federal, das Mesas de uma dessas Casas Legislativas, do Tribunal de Contas da União, de um dos Tribunais Superiores, ou do próprio Supremo Tribunal Federal;
r) as ações contra o Conselho Nacional de Justiça e contra o Conselho Nacional do Ministério Público;
II - julgar, em recurso ordinário:
a) o habeas corpus, o mandado de segurança, o habeas data e o mandado de injunção decididos em única instância pelos Tribunais Superiores, se denegatória a decisão;
b) o crime político;
III - julgar, mediante recurso extraordinário, as causas decididas em única ou última instância, quando a decisão recorrida:
a) contrariar dispositivo desta Constituição;
b) declarar a inconstitucionalidade de tratado ou lei federal;
c) julgar válida lei ou ato de governo local contestado em face desta Constituição.
d) julgar válida lei local contestada em face de lei federal.
§ 1.º A argüição de descumprimento de preceito fundamental, decorrente desta Constituição, será apreciada pelo Supremo Tribunal Federal, na forma da lei.
… (Art. 102)
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 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)