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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) Subject to this Constitution, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction, to the exclusion of other courts, as to any question relating to the interpretation or application of any provision of a Constitutional Law.
(2) Subject to this Constitution, where any question relating to the interpretation or application of any provision of a Constitutional Law arises in any court or tribunal, other than the Supreme Court, the court or tribunal shall, unless the question is trivial, vexatious or irrelevant, refer the matter to the Supreme Court, and take whatever other action (including the adjournment of proceedings) is appropriate. (Sec. 18)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Where any question as to the interpretation or application of this Constitution arises in any proceedings in any court of law in any part of Nigeria (other than in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or a High Court) and the court is of the opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court may, and shall if any of the parties to the proceedings so requests, refer the question to the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or a High Court having jurisdiction in that part of Nigeria and the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or the High Court shall
(a) if it is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, refer the question to the Court of Appeal; or
(b) if it is of opinion that the question does not involve a substantial question of law, remit the question to the court that made the reference to be disposed of in accordance with such directions as the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or the High Court may think fit to give.
(2) Where any question as to the interpretation or application of this constitution arises in any proceedings in the Federal High Court or the National Industrial Court or a High Court, and the court is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court may, and shall if any party to the proceedings so requests, refer the question to the Court of Appeal; and where any question is referred in pursuance of this subsection, the court shall give its decision upon the question and the court in which the question arose shall dispose of the case in accordance with that decision.
(3) Where any question as to the interpretation or application of this constitution arises in any proceedings in the Court of Appeal and the court is of opinion that the question involves a substantial question of law, the court may, and shall if any party to the proceedings so requests, refer the question to the Supreme Court which shall give its decision upon the question and give such directions to the Court of Appeal as it deems appropriate. (Sec. 295)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
1. The Constitutional Court resolves constitutional disputes and makes the definitive interpretation of the Constitution.
2. The Constitutional Court is subject only to the Constitution.
… (Art. 124) - Albanian
1. Gjykata Kushtetuese zgjidh mosmarrëveshjet kushtetuese dhe bën interpretimin përfundimtar të Kushtetutës.
2. Gjykata Kushtetuese i nënshtrohet vetëm Kushtetutës.
… (Neni 124)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Constitutional justice shall be administered by the Constitutional Court, ensuring the primacy of the Constitution.
2. When administering justice, the Constitutional Court shall be independent and shall abide only by the Constitution.
3. The powers of the Constitutional Court shall be stipulated by the Constitution, while the procedure of its formation and functioning shall be stipulated by the Constitution and the Law on the Constitutional Court. (Art. 167) - Armenian1. Սահմանադրական արդարադատությունն իրականացնում է Սահմանադրական դատարանը` ապահովելով Սահմանադրության գերակայությունը:
2. Արդարադատություն իրականացնելիս Սահմանադրական դատարանն անկախ է և ենթարկվում է միայն Սահմանադրությանը:
3. Սահմանադրական դատարանի լիազորությունները սահմանվում են Սահմանադրությամբ, իսկ կազմավորման և գործունեության կարգը` Սահմանադրությամբ և Սահմանադրական դատարանի մասին օրենքով: (Հոդված 167)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The President of the Republic signs the accords of armistice and the peace treaties.
He obtains the opinion of the Constitutional Court on the accords which he reports to it.
... (Art. 102) - Arabic
يوقّع رئيس الجمهوريّة اتّفاقيّات الهدنة ومعاهدات السّلم.
يلتمس رئيس الجمهورية رأي المحكمة الدستورية بشأن الاتّفاقيّات المتعلّقة بهما.
… (المــادة 102) - French
Le Président de la République signe les accords d’armistice et les traités de paix.
Il recueille l’avis de la Cour constitutionnelle sur les accords qui s’y rapportent.
... (Art. 102)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Members of a provincial legislature may apply to the Constitutional Court for an order declaring that all or part of a provincial Act is unconstitutional.
… (Sec. 122)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia:
- shall decide on the compliance of laws with the Constitution;
- shall decide on the compliance of other regulations with the Constitution and laws;
- may decide on the constitutionality of laws and the constitutionality and legality of other regulations which are no longer valid, provided that less than one year has elapsed from the moment of such cessation until the filing of a request or a proposal to institute proceedings;
- shall decide on constitutional complaints against individual decisions taken by state bodies, bodies of local and regional self-government and legal persons vested with public authority where such decisions violate human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as the right to local and regional self-government guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia;
- shall monitor compliance with the Constitution and laws and shall report to the Croatian Parliament on detected violations thereof
- shall decide on jurisdictional disputes between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches;
- shall decide, in conformity with the Constitution, on the impeachment of the President of the Republic;
- shall monitor compliance of the platforms and activities of political parties with the Constitution and may, in compliance with the Constitution, ban non-compliant parties;
- shall monitor whether elections and referenda are conducted in compliance with the Constitution and laws and shall resolve electoral disputes falling outside the jurisdiction of the courts;
- shall perform other duties specified by the Constitution. (Art. 125) - CroatianUstavni sud Republike Hrvatske:
- odlučuje o suglasnosti zakona s Ustavom;
- odlučuje o suglasnosti drugih propisa s Ustavom i zakonom;
- može ocjenjivati ustavnost zakona te ustavnost i zakonitost drugih propisa koji su prestali važiti ako od tog prestanka do podnošenja zahtjeva ili prijedloga za pokretanje postupka nije prošlo više od godine dana,
- odlučuje povodom ustavnih tužbi protiv pojedinačnih odluka državnih tijela, tijela jedinica lokalne i područne (regionalne) samouprave te pravnih osoba s javnim ovlastima kad su tim odlukama povrijeđena ljudska prava i temeljne slobode, kao i pravo na lokalnu i područnu (regionalnu) samoupravu zajamčeni Ustavom Republike Hrvatske,
- prati ostvarivanje ustavnosti i zakonitosti te o uočenim pojavama neustavnosti I nezakonitosti izvješćuje Hrvatski sabor
- rješava sukob nadležnosti između tijela zakonodavne, izvršne i sudbene vlasti;
- odlučuje, u skladu s Ustavom, o odgovornosti predsjednika Republike;
- nadzire ustavnost programa I djelovanja političkih stranaka i može, u skladu s Ustavom, zabraniti njihov rad;
- nadzire ustavnost i zakonitost izbora i državnog referenduma i rješava izborne sporove koji nisu u djelokrugu sudova;
- obavlja druge poslove određene Ustavom. (Članak 125)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The President of the Republic with regard to any law or decision of the Greek Communal Chamber and the Vice-President of the Republic with regard to any law or decision of the Turkish Communal Chamber, may, at any time prior to the publication of such law or decision, refer to the Supreme Constitutional Court for its opinion the question as to whether such law or decision or any specified provision thereof is repugnant to or inconsistent with any provision of this Constitution.
… (Art. 142) - Greek1. O Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας εν σχέσει προς οιονδήποτε νόμον ή απόφασιν της Ελληνικής Kοινοτικής Συνελεύσεως και ο Aντιπρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας εν σχέσει προς οιονδήποτε νόμον ή απόφασιν της Τουρκικής Kοινοτικής Συνελεύσεως δύναται, προ της δημοσιεύσεως του νόμου ή της αποφάσεως αυτής, ν’ αναφερθώσιν εις το Aνώτατον Συνταγματικόν Δικαστήριον, ίνα τούτο γνωματεύση, κατά πόσον ο εν λόγω νόμος ή η απόφασις ή ωρισμένη διάταξις αυτών ευρίσκεται εις αντίθεσιν ή ασυμφωνίαν προς τινα διάταξιν του Συντάγματος.
… (Αρθρον 142) - Turkish1. Rum Cemaat Meclisinin herhangi bir kanun veya kararı hakkında Cumhurbaşkanı ve Türk Cemaat Meclisinin herhangi bir kanun veya kararı hakkında Cumhurbaşkanı Yardımcısı, böyle bir kanun veya kararın yayımlanmasından önce herhangi bir zamanda, söz konusu kanunun veya kararın ya da herhangi belli bir hükmünün bu Anayasanın herhangi bir hükmüne aykırı veya ona uygun olup olmadığı meselesini, görüşünü vermek üzere, Yüksek Anayasa Mahkemesine yollayabilir.
... (Madde 142)
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) The Constitutional Court—
(a) is the highest court in all constitutional matters, and its decisions on those matters bind all other courts;
(b) decides only constitutional matters and issues connected with decisions on constitutional matters, in particular references and applications under section 131(8)(b) and paragraph 9(2) of the Fifth Schedule3; and
(c) makes the final decision whether a matter is a constitutional matter or whether an issue is connected with a decision on a constitutional matter.
(2) Subject to this Constitution, only the Constitutional Court may—
(a) advise on the constitutionality of any proposed legislation, but may do so only where the legislation concerned has been referred to it in terms of this Constitution;
…
(d) determine whether Parliament or the President has failed to fulfil a constitutional obligation.
(3) The Constitutional Court makes the final decision whether an Act of Parliament or conduct of the President or Parliament is constitutional, and must confirm any order of constitutional invalidity made by another court before that order has any force.
(4) An Act of Parliament may provide for the exercise of jurisdiction by the Constitutional Court and for that purpose may confer the power to make rules of court.
(5) Rules of the Constitutional Court must allow a person, when it is in the interests of justice and with or without leave of the Constitutional Court—
(a) to bring a constitutional matter directly to the Constitutional Court;
(b) to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court from any other court;
(c) to appear as a friend of the court. (Sec. 167)