SEARCH DATABASE
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
- English
1. The Constitutional Court reviews preliminarily the constitutionality of the issues presented for a referendum according to Article 150, paragraphs 1 and 2, Article 151, paragraphs 2 and 3, as well as Article 177, paragraphs 4 and 5, within 60 days.
… (Art. 152) - Albanian
1. Gjykata Kushtetuese shqyrton paraprakisht kushtetutshmërinë e çështjeve të shtruara për referendum sipas nenit 150 paragrafët 1 e 2, nenit 151 paragrafët 2 e 3 edhe sipas nenit 177 paragrafët 4 e 5 brenda 60 ditëve.
… (Neni 152)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishIn specific cases, in every process of whatever competence or jurisdiction, in any instance and in cassation and even before a sentence is decreed, the parties will be able to present as an action [acción], plea [excepción], or incidental issue [incidente], the total or partial unconstitutionality of a law. The tribunal must decide concerning it. (Art. 266)
- SpanishEn casos concretos, en todo proceso de cualquier competencia o jurisdicción, en cualquier instancia y en casación y hasta antes de dictarse sentencia, las partes podrán plantear como acción, excepción o incidente, la inconstitucionalidad total o parcial de una ley. El tribunal deberá pronunciarse al respecto. (Art. 266)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Court may be referred to [a matter] of a pleading of unconstitutionality on remand of the Supreme Court or of the Council of State, when one of the parties in the process sustains before a jurisdiction that the legislative or regulatory provision on which the outcome of the litigation depends infringes the rights and the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.
... (Art. 195) - Arabic
يمكن إخطار المحكمة الدستورية بالدفع بعدم الدستورية بناء على إحالة من المحكمة العليا أو مجلس الدولة، عندما يدعي أحد األطراف في المحاكمة أمام جهة قضائية أن الحكم التشريعي أو التنظيمي الذي يتوقف عليه مآل النزاع ينتهك حقوقه وحرياته التي يضمنها الدستور.
... (المــادة 195) - French
La Cour constitutionnelle peut être saisie d’une exception d’inconstitutionnalité sur renvoi de la Cour suprême ou du Conseil d’Etat, lorsque l’une des parties au procès soutient devant une juridiction que la disposition législative ou réglementaire dont dépend l’issue du litige porte atteinte à ses droits et libertés tels que garantis par la Constitution.
... (Art. 195)
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) 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
- English
The disputes that Article 103 of the Constitution concerns, with the exception of those in electoral matters, will be subject to the procedures and formalities [formas] of the juridical order that the law determines, in accordance with the following bases:
I. A trial in amparo will always be held [seguirá] at the instance of the party injured [agrivada], having such character any [person] claiming to be entitled [titular] to a right or to an individual or collective interest, whenever it [is] alleged that the challenged act violates the rights recognized by the Constitution and furthermore affects its juridical sphere, either in direct manner or by virtue of its special situation before [frente] the juridical order.
Concerning the acts or resolutions proceeding from the judicial, administrative or labor tribunals, the complainant must claim to be entitled to a subjective right that affects them in a personal and direct manner;
...
V. ... The Supreme Court of Justice can, of office or on substantiated petition of the corresponding Collegiate Circuit Tribunal, of the Attorney General of the Republic, in the matters in which the Public Ministry of the Federation is a part, or of the Federal Executive, through the Juridical Councilor of the Government, take cognizance of the direct amparos that by their interest and transcendence [trascendencia] so merit it.
...
VIII. Against the decisions that the District Judges [feminine] and the District Judges [masculine] or the Collegiate Tribunals of Appeal issue in amparo[,] revision proceeds. The Supreme Court of Justice will take cognizance of them:
a) When general norms have been challenged in the demand of amparo, for considering them [estimaraos] directly in violation of this Constitution, the issue [problema] of constitutionality subsisting in the recourse.
b) When it concerns those cases comprehended in Fractions II and III of Article 103 of this Constitution.
The Supreme Court of Justice can, of office or on substantiated petition of the corresponding Collegiate Circuit Tribunal, of the Attorney General of the Republic, in the matters in which the Public Ministry of the federation is a part, or of the Federal Executive, through the Juridical Councilor of the Government, take cognizance of the amparos in revision, that by their interest and transcendence so merit it.
... (Art. 107) - Spanish
Las controversias de que habla el artículo 103 de esta Constitución, con excepción de aquellas en materia electoral, se sujetarán a los procedimientos que determine la ley reglamentaria, de acuerdo con las bases siguientes:
I. El juicio de amparo se seguirá siempre a instancia de parte agraviada, teniendo tal carácter quien aduce ser titular de un derecho o de un interés legítimo individual o colectivo, siempre que alegue que el acto reclamado viola los derechos reconocidos por esta Constitución y con ello se afecte su esfera jurídica, ya sea de manera directa o en virtud de su especial situación frente al orden jurídico.
Tratándose de actos o resoluciones provenientes de tribunales judiciales, administrativos o del trabajo, el quejoso deberá aducir ser titular de un derecho subjetivo que se afecte de manera personal y directa;
…
V. … La Suprema Corte de Justicia, de oficio o a petición fundada del correspondiente Tribunal Colegiado de Circuito, del Fiscal General de la República, en los asuntos en que el Ministerio Público de la Federación sea parte, o del Ejecutivo Federal, por conducto del Consejero Jurídico del Gobierno, podrá conocer de los amparos directos que por su interés y trascendencia así lo ameriten.
…
Contra las sentencias que pronuncien en amparo las Juezas y los Jueces de Distrito o los Tribunales Colegiados de Apelación procede revisión. De ella conocerá la Suprema Corte de Justicia:
a) Cuando habiéndose impugnado en la demanda de amparo normas generales por estimarlas directamente violatorias de esta Constitución, subsista en el recurso el problema de constitucionalidad.
b) Cuando se trate de los casos comprendidos en las fracciones II y III del artículo 103 de esta Constitución.
La Suprema Corte de Justicia, de oficio o a petición fundada del correspondiente Tribunal Colegiado de Circuito, del Fiscal General de la República, en los asuntos en que el Ministerio Público de la Federación sea parte, o del Ejecutivo Federal, por conducto del Consejero Jurídico del Gobierno, podrá conocer de los amparos en revisión, que por su interés y trascendencia así lo ameriten.
… (Art. 107)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Council is the institution competent in constitutional and electoral matters. It is charged to decide on the constitutionality of the laws, of the ordinances as well as the conformity of the international treaties and agreements with the Constitution.
It interprets the provisions of the Constitution. It controls the regularity, the transparency and the sincerity of the referendum, of the presidential elections, legislative [elections] and is the judge of electoral disputes.
It proclaims the definitive results of the referendum, [and] of the presidential and legislative elections.
... (Art. 152) - French
Le Conseil constitutionnel est l'institution compétente en matière constitutionnelle et électorale. Il est chargé de statuer sur la constitutionnalité des lois, des ordonnances ainsi que la conformité des traités et accords internationaux avec la Constitution.
Il interprète les dispositions de la Constitution. Il contrôle la régularité, la transparence et la sincérité du référendum, des élections présidentielles, législatives et est juge du contentieux électoral.
Il proclame les résultats définitifs des élections présidentielles, législatives et locales.
... (Art. 152)
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
- 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)