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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
Any pleader [plaideur] can, by way of exception [pleadings], raise the unconstitutionality of a law before any jurisdiction.
… (Art. 135) - French
Tout plaideur peut, par voie d’exception, soulever l’inconstitutionnalité d'une loi devant toute juridiction.
… (Art. 135)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The House has the power to interpret the Constitution.
… (Art. 62) - Amharic1. ምክር ቤቱ ሕገ መንግሥቱን የመተርጐም ሥልጣን ይኖረዋል፡፡
… (አንቀጽ 62)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English...
(3) Subject to clause (5), the High Court shall have—
…
(d) jurisdiction to hear any question respecting the interpretation of this Constitution including the determination of—
(i) the question whether any law is inconsistent with or in contravention of this Constitution;
(ii) the question whether anything said to be done under the authority of this Constitution or of any law is inconsistent with, or in contravention of, this Constitution;
(iii) any matter relating to constitutional powers of State organs in respect of county governments and any matter relating to the constitutional relationship between the levels of government;
(iv) a question relating to conflict of laws under Article 191;
… (Art. 165) - Swahili...
(3) Kwa kuzingatia ibara ya (5), Mahakama Kuu itakuwa-
…
(d) mamlaka ya kusikiliza shauri lolote kuhusu ufafanuzi wa Katiba hii ikiwa ni pamoja na uamuzi wa-
(i) shauri kwamba iwapo sheria yoyote ipo kinyume au imevunja Katiba hii;
(ii) shauri kwamba iwapo kuna kitu chochote ambacho kimefanywa chini ya mamlaka ya Katiba hii au ya sheria yoyote kipo kinyume au kimevunja Katiba hii;
(iii) jambo lolote linalohusiana na nguvu ya kikatiba ya vyombo vya Serikali kuhusu serikali za kaunti na jambo lolote linalohusiana na uhusiano wa kikatiba kati ya ngazi za serikali;
(iv) shauri linalohusiana na mgongano wa sheria chini ya Kifungu cha 191;
… (Kifungu cha 165)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe organic laws are submitted by the Prime Minister to the Constitutional Court before their promulgation.
The other categories of law, before their promulgation, can be deferred to the Constitutional Court either by the President of the Republic, or by the Prime Minister, or by the President of the National Assembly or [by] one-tenth of the Deputies, or by the President of the High Council of the Collectivities or [by] one-tenth of the National Councilors, or by the President of the Supreme Court. (Art. 88) - FrenchLes lois organiques sont soumises par le Premier Ministre à la Cour Constitutionnelle avant leur promulgation.
Les autres catégories de lois, avant leur promulgation, peuvent être déférées à la Cour Constitutionnelle soit par le Président de la République, soit par le Premier Ministre, soit par le Président de l'Assemblée Nationale ou un dixième des députés, soit par le Haut Conseil des Collectivités ou un dixième des Conseillers Nationaux, soit par le Président de la Cour Suprême. (Art. 88)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English...
(2) The High Court shall have original jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate upon all civil disputes and criminal prosecutions, including cases which involve the interpretation, implementation and upholding of this Constitution and the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed thereunder. The High Court shall also have jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate upon appeals from Lower Courts.
(3) The jurisdiction of the High Court with regard to appeals shall be determined by Act of Parliament. (Art. 80)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Court shall be responsible for reviewing for unconstitutionality and illegality, pursuant to Articles 144 and following.
2. The Constitutional Court shall also be responsible for:
a) Verifying the death and the permanent physical impossibility of the President of the Republic, as well as verifying temporary inability of the President of the Republic to perform official duties;
b) Verifying the forfeiture of office of the President of the Republic, in the cases set forth in paragraph 3 of Article 85 and paragraph 3 of Article 86;
c) Judging in the final instance the regularity and validity of the acts of the electoral proceedings, under the terms of the law;
d) Verifying the death and declaring the incapacitation for the performance of the presidential duties of any candidate for the President of the Republic, for the purposes pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 78;
e) Verifying the legality of the constitution of political parties and their coalitions, as well as evaluating the legality of their denominations, abbreviations and symbols, and ordering the dissolution, under the terms of the Constitution and of the law.
f) Verifying in advance the constitutionality and legality of national, regional and local referendums, including assessment of the relevant requirements for the respective electorate;
g) Judging at the request of the Deputies, under the terms of the law, appeals relating to loss of parliamentary seat and the elections held in the National Assembly and the Regional and Local Assemblies;
h) Judging actions against elections and resolutions of organs of political parties that, under the terms of the law, may be subject to appeal.
3. It is also the responsibility of the Constitutional Court to exercise such other functions as may be assigned by the Constitution and by the law. (Art. 133) - Portuguese1. Compete ao Tribunal Constitucional apreciar a inconstitucionalidade e a ilegalidade, nos termos dos Artigos 144.º e seguintes.
2. Compete também ao Tribunal Constitucional:
a) Verificar a morte e a impossibilidade física permanente do Presidente da República, bem como verificar os impedimentos temporários do exercício das suas funções;
b) Verificar a perda do cargo do Presidente da República, nos casos previstos no numero 3 do Artigo 85.º e no numero 3 do Artigo 86.º;
c) Julgar em última instância a regularidade e a validade dos actos do processo eleitoral, nos termos da lei;
d) Verificar a morte e declarar a incapacidade para o exercício da função presidencial de qualquer candidato a Presidente da República, para efeitos do disposto no número 2 do Artigo 78.º
e) Verificar a legalidade da constituição de partidos políticos e suas coligações, bem como apreciar a legalidade das suas denominações, siglas e símbolos, e ordenar a respectiva extinção, nos termos da Constituição e da lei;
f) Verificar previamente a constitucionalidade e a legalidade dos referendos nacionais, regionais e locais, incluindo a apreciação dos requisitos relativos ao respectivo universo eleitoral;
g) Julgar, a requerimento dos Deputados, nos termos da lei, os recursos relativos à perda do mandato e às eleições realizadas na Assembleia Nacional e nas Assembleias Regional e Locais;
h) Julgar as acções de impugnação de eleições e de deliberações de órgãos de partidos políticos que, nos termos da lei, sejam recorríveis.
3. Compete ainda ao Tribunal Constitucional exercer as demais funções que lhe sejam atribuídas pela Constituição e pela lei. (Art. 133)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Court[,]
- decides obligatorily on:
• the constitutionality of the organic laws before their promulgation;
• the Internal Regulations of the National Assembly, of the High Authority for Broadcasting and of Communication and of the Economic and Social Council prior to their implementation, as well their conformity with the Constitution;
• the constitutionality of the laws and of the regulatory acts supposedly infringing the fundamental rights of the human person and the public freedoms and in general, on the violation of the rights of the human person;
• the conflicts of attributions between the institutions of the State.
• the disputes of the election of the duo President of the Republic and Vice President of the Republic and of the members of the National Assembly;
- sees to the regularity of the election of the duo President of the Republic and Vice President of the Republic; examines the complaints, decides on the irregularities that it has found, by itself, [as] arising and proclaims the results of the ballot; decides on the regularity of the referendum and proclaim the results of it;
- decides, in the case of dispute on the regularity of the legislative elections;
- forms [fait], of right, [its] part of the High Court of Justice with the exception of its President. (Art. 117) - French
La Cour constitutionnelle
- statue obligatoirement sur :
• la constitutionnalité des lois organiques avant leur promulgation ;
• les règlements intérieurs de l’Assemblée nationale, de la Haute Autorité de l’Audiovisuel et de la Communication et du Conseil économique et social avant leur mise en application, quant à leur conformité à la Constitution ;
• la constitutionnalité des lois et des actes réglementaires censés porter atteinte aux droits fondamentaux de la personne humaine et aux libertés publiques en général, sur la violation des droits de la personne humaines ;
• les conflits d’attributions entre les institutions de l’Etat ;
• le contentieux de l’élection du duo Président de la République et vice-président de la République et des membres de l’Assemblée nationale ;
- veille à la régularité de l’élection du duo Président de la République et vice-président de la république ; examine les réclamations, statue sur les irrégularités qu’elle aurait pu, par ellemême, relever et proclame les résultats du scrutin ; statue sur la régularité du référendum et en proclame les résultats ;
- statue, en cas de contestation, sur la régularité des élections législatives ;
- fait de droit partie de la Haute Cour de justice à l’exception de son président. (Art. 117)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Members of the National Assembly may apply to the Constitutional Court for an order declaring that all or part of an Act of Parliament is unconstitutional.
… (Sec. 80)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
4. The proposals for a referendum shall be subject to preventive review with respect to their constitutionality and legality.
… (Art. 103) - Portuguese…
4. As propostas de referendo estão sujeitas à fiscalização preventive da constitucionalidade e da legalidade.
… (Art. 103)
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)