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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 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)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishWithout prejudice to the provisions of the Constitution and if need be, the law, the organisation and operations of the National Council are determined by the rule of procedure which the Council issued.
Before being enforced, these rules of procedure must be submitted to the Supreme Court, which decides on its compliance with the Constitution and, if need be, with law. (Art. 61) - FrenchSous réserve des dispositions constitutionnelles et, le cas échéant, législatives, l'organisation et le fonctionnement du Conseil National sont déterminés par le règlement intérieur arrêté par le Conseil.
Ce règlement doit, avant sa mise en application, être soumis au Tribunal Suprême, qui se prononce sur sa conformité aux dispositions constitutionnelles et, le cas échéant, législatives. (Art. 61)
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
- English
The constitutionality of Acts of Parliament and treaties shall not be reviewed by the courts. (Art. 120)
- Dutch
De rechter treedt niet in de beoordeling van de grondwettigheid van wetten en verdragen. (Art. 120)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court is the judge of the exceptions of unconstitutionality raised before or by a jurisdiction.
Any person may refer the Constitution Court to [a matter concerning] the unconstitutionality of any legislative or regulatory act.
In addition, he may refer the Constitutional Court to [a matter], by the procedure of the exception of unconstitutionality invoked in a matter concerning him before a jurisdiction.
That [jurisdiction] stays [its] decision and refers the Constitutional Court to [it], all [other] matters ceasing. (Art. 162) - FrenchLa Cour constitutionnelle est juge de l’exception d’inconstitutionnalité soulevée devant ou par une juridiction.
Toute personne peut saisir la Cour constitutionnelle pour inconstitutionnalité de tout acte législatif ou réglementaire.
Elle peut, en outre, saisir la Cour constitutionnelle, par la procédure de l’exception de l’inconstitutionnalité invoquée dans une affaire qui la concerne devant une juridiction.
Celle-ci sursoit à statuer et saisit, toutes affaires cessantes, la Cour constitutionnelle. (Art. 162)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Federal Supreme Court may, ex-officio or upon request, upon decision of two thirds of its members, and following reiterated judicial decisions on constitutional matter, issue a summula (restatement of case law) which, as from publication in the official press, shall have a binding effect upon the lower bodies of the Judicial Power and the direct and indirect public administration, in the federal, state, and local levels, and which may also be reviewed or revoked, as set forth in law.
Paragraph 1. The purpose of a summula is to validate, construe, and impart effectiveness to some rules about which there is a current controversy among judicial bodies or among such bodies and the public administration, and such controversy brings about serious juridical insecurity and the filing of multiple lawsuits involving similar issues.
Paragraph 2. Without prejudice to the provisions the law may establish, the issuance, review, or revocation of a summula may be requested by those who may file a direct action of unconstitutionality.
Paragraph 3. An administrative act or judicial decision which contradicts the applicable summula or which unduly applies a summula may be appealed to the Supreme Federal Court, and if the appeal is granted, such Court shall declare the administrative act null and void or overrule the appealed judicial decision, ordering that a new judicial decision be issued, with or without applying the summula, as the case may be. (Art. 103-A) - Portuguese
O Supremo Tribunal Federal poderá, de ofício ou por provocação, mediante decisão de dois terços dos seus membros, após reiteradas decisões sobre matéria constitucional, aprovar súmula que, a partir de sua publicação na imprensa oficial, terá efeito vinculante em relação aos demais órgãos do Poder Judiciário e à administração pública direta e indireta, nas esferas federal, estadual e municipal, bem como proceder à sua revisão ou cancelamento, na forma estabelecida em lei.
§ 1º A súmula terá por objetivo a validade, a interpretação e a eficácia de normas determinadas, acerca das quais haja controvérsia atual entre órgãos judiciários ou entre esses e a administração pública que acarrete grave insegurança jurídica e relevante multiplicação de processos sobre questão idêntica.
§ 2º Sem prejuízo do que vier a ser estabelecido em lei, a aprovação, revisão ou cancelamento de súmula poderá ser provocada por aqueles que podem propor a ação direta de inconstitucionalidade.
§ 3º Do ato administrativo ou decisão judicial que contrariar a súmula aplicável ou que indevidamente a aplicar, caberá reclamação ao Supremo Tribunal Federal que, julgando-a procedente, anulará o ato administrativo ou cassará a decisão judicial reclamada, e determinará que outra seja proferida com ou sem a aplicação da súmula, conforme o caso. (Art. 103-A)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) An appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court from any judgment, decree or final order in a civil proceeding of a High Court in the territory of India if the High Court certifies under article 134A-
(a) that the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance; and
(b) that in the opinion of the High Court the said question needs to be decided by the Supreme Court.
(2) Notwithstanding anything in article 132, any party appealing to the Supreme Court under clause (1) may urge as one of the grounds in such appeal that a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitution has been wrongly decided.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in this article, no appeal shall, unless Parliament by law otherwise provides, lie to the Supreme Court from the judgment, decree or final order of one Judge of a High Court. (Art. 133) - Hindi(1) भारत के राज्यक्षेत्र में किसी उच्च न्यायालय की सिविल कार्यवाही में दिए गए किसी निर्णय, डिक्री या अंतिम आदेश की अपील उच्चतम न्यायालय में होगी यदि उच्च न्यायालय अनुच्छेद 134क के अधीन प्रमाणित कर देता है कि-
(क) उस मामले में विधि का व्यापक महत्व का कोई सारवान प्रश्न अंतर्वलित है; और
(ख) उच्च न्यायालय की राय में उस प्रश्न का उच्चतम न्यायालय द्वारा विनिश्चय आवश्यक है।
(2) अनुच्छेद 132 में किसी बात के होते हुए भी, उच्चतम न्यायालय में खंड (1) के अधीन अपील करने वाला कोई पक्षकार ऐसी अपील के आधारों में यह आधार भी बता सकेगा कि इस संविधान के निर्वचन के बारे में विधि के किसी सारवान प्रश्न का विनिश्चय गलत किया गया है।
(3) इस अनुच्छेद में किसी बात के होते हुए भी, उच्च न्यायालय के एक न्यायाधीश के निर्णय, डिक्री या अंतिम आदेश की अपील उच्चतम न्यायालय में तब तक नहीं होगी जब तक संसद विधि द्वारा अन्यथा उपबंध न करे। (अनुच्छेद 133)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Appeal may be made to the Constitutional Court against court decisions:
a) That refuse the application of any norm on the grounds of its unconstitutionality;
b) That apply a norm whose unconstitutionality has been raised during the proceedings.
2. Appeal may also be made to the Constitutional Court against court decisions:
a) That refuse the application of a norm contained in a legislative act, on the grounds that it is illegal because it is in breach of a law which possesses superior legal force;
b) That refuse the application of a norm contained in a regional legislative act, on the grounds that it is illegal because it is in breach of the autonomous region's statute;
c) That refuse the application of a norm contained in a legislative act issued by an entity that exercises sovereignty, on the grounds that it is illegal because it is in breach of an autonomous region's statute;
d) That apply any norm whose illegality on any of the grounds referred to in subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c) has been raised during the proceedings.
3. When the norm whose application has been refused is contained in an international convention, a legislative act or a regulatory decree, the Public Prosecutors' Office shall obligatorily lodge the appeal provided for in paragraph (1)(a) or 2(a).
4. The appeals provided for in paragraphs (1)(b) and (2)(d) may only be lodged by the party that raised the question of unconstitutionality or illegality, and the law must regulate the regime governing the admission of such appeals.
5. Appeal may also be made to the Constitutional Court, and the Public Prosecutors' Office shall obligatorily lodge such appeals, against court decisions that apply norms which the Constitutional Court itself has previously held unconstitutional or illegal.
6. Appeals to the Constitutional Court are restricted to the question of unconstitutionality or illegality, as appropriate. (Art. 280) - Portuguese1. Cabe recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional das decisões dos tribunais:
a) Que recusem a aplicação de qualquer norma com fundamento na sua inconstitucionalidade;
b) Que apliquem norma cuja inconstitucionalidade haja sido suscitada durante o processo.
2. Cabe igualmente recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional das decisões dos tribunais:
a) Que recusem a aplicação de norma constante de acto legislativo com fundamento na sua ilegalidade por violação da lei com valor reforçado;
b) Que recusem a aplicação de norma constante de diploma regional com fundamento na sua ilegalidade por violação do estatuto da região autónoma;
c) Que recusem a aplicação de norma constante de diploma emanado de um órgão de soberania com fundamento na sua ilegalidade por violação do estatuto de uma região autónoma;
d) Que apliquem norma cuja ilegalidade haja sido suscitada durante o processo com qualquer dos fundamentos referidos nas alíneas a), b) e c).
3. Quando a norma cuja aplicação tiver sido recusada constar de convenção internacional, de acto legislativo ou de decreto regulamentar, os recursos previstos na alínea a) do n.º 1 e na alínea a) do n.º 2 são obrigatórios para o Ministério Público.
4. Os recursos previstos na alínea b) do n.º 1 e na alínea d) do n.º 2 só podem ser interpostos pela parte que haja suscitado a questão da inconstitucionalidade ou da ilegalidade, devendo a lei regular o regime de admissão desses recursos.
5. Cabe ainda recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional, obrigatório para o Ministério Público, das decisões dos tribunais que apliquem norma anteriormente julgada inconstitucional ou ilegal pelo próprio Tribunal Constitucional.
6. Os recursos para o Tribunal Constitucional são restritos à questão da inconstitucionalidade ou da ilegalidade, conforme os casos. (Art. 280)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Supreme Constitutional Court shall be solely competent to decide on the constitutionality of laws and regulations, to interpret legislative provisions, and to adjudicate on disputes pertaining to the affairs of its members, on jurisdictional disputes between judicial bodies and entities that have judicial jurisdiction, on disputes pertaining to the implementation of two final contradictory judgments, one of which is rendered by a judicial body or an authority with judicial jurisdiction and the other is rendered by another, and on disputes pertaining to the execution of its judgments and decisions.
The law shall determine the Court’s other competences and regulate the procedures that are to be followed before the Court. (Art. 192) - Arabicتتولى المحكمة الدّستورية العليا دون غيرها الرّقابة القضائيّة على دستوريّة القوانين، واللّوائح، وتفسير النّصوص التّشريعية، والفصل فى المنازعات المتعلّقة بشؤون أعضائها، وفى تنازع الاختصاص بين جهات القضاء والهيئات ذات الاختصاص القضائى، والفصل فى النزاع الذي يقوم بشأن تنفيذ حكمين نهائيين متناقضين صادر أحدهما من أى جهة من جهات القضاء، أو هيئة ذات اختصاص قضائيّ، والآخر من جهة أخرى ، والمنازعات المتعلّقة بتنفيذ أحكامها، والقرارات الصّادرة منها.
يضبط القانون الاختصاصات الأخرى للمحكمة، وينظّم الإجراءات التى تتّبع أمامها. (المادّة 192)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe special proceedings for protection shall be admissible against those rulings or definitive judgments where there has been a violation, by deed or omission, of the rights enshrined in the Constitution, and they shall be filed with the Constitutional Court. This appeal shall be admissible when regular and special appeals have been exhausted within the legal framework, unless the failure to file these resources was not attributable to the negligence of the person bearing the constitutional right that was infringed. (Art. 94)
- SpanishLa acción extraordinaria de protección procederá contra sentencias o autos definitivos en los que se haya violado por acción u omisión derechos reconocidos en la Constitución, y se interpondrá ante la Corte Constitucional. El recurso procederá cuando se hayan agotado los recursos ordinarios y extraordinarios dentro del término legal, a menos que la falta de interposición de estos recursos no fuera atribuible a la negligencia de la persona titular del derecho constitucional vulnerado. (Art. 94)