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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.
Composition and Appointment
- English(1) The President may appoint a woman or man to serve as an acting Deputy Chief Justice or judge of the Constitutional Court if there is a vacancy in any of those offices, or if the person holding such an office is absent. The appointment must be made on the recommendation of the Cabinet member responsible for the administration of justice acting with the concurrence of the Chief Justice, and an appointment as acting Deputy Chief Justice must be made from the ranks of the judges who had been appointed to the Constitutional Court in terms of section 174(4).
… (Sec. 175)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Supreme Constitutional Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate finally on all matters as provided in the ensuing Articles. (Art. 136)3
- GreekTο Aνώτατον Συνταγματικόν Δικαστήριον κέκτηται αποκλειστικήν δικαιοδοσίαν να αποφασίζη οριστικώς και αμετακλήτως επί πάντων των αντικειμένων περί ων εν τοις επομένοις άρθροις. (Αρθρον 136)
- TurkishYüksek Anayasa Mahkemesi, müteakip Maddelerde gösterilen bütün konularda kesin olarak karar verme hususunda münhasır yargı yetkisine sahiptir. (Madde 136)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The President of the Republic may request the Supreme Court of Justice to undertake an anticipatory review of the constitutionality of any statute submitted to him or her for promulgation.
… (Sec. 149) - Tetum1. Prezidente-Repúblika bele husu ba Tribunál Supremu Justisa nian atu halo apresiasaun preventivu kona-ba konstitusionalidade ba naran diploma ida-ne’ebé nia simu atu halo promulgasaun.
… (Art. 149) - Portuguese1. O Presidente da República pode requerer ao Supremo Tribunal de Justiça a apreciação preventiva da constitucionalidade de qualquer diploma que lhe tenha sido enviado para promulgação.
… (Art. 149)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
...
(2) Except for Part IX Land and Titles Court, an appeal shall lie to the Court of Appeal from any decision of the Supreme Court in any proceeding, if the Supreme Court certifies that the case involves a substantial question of law as to the interpretation or effect of any provision of this Constitution; and:
(a) where such a certificate is given or such leave granted, any party in the case may appeal to the Court of Appeal on the ground that any such question has been wrongly decided and, with the leave of that Court, on any other ground; or
(b) where the Supreme Court has refused to give such a certificate, the Court of Appeal may, if it is satisfied that the case involves a substantial question of law as to the interpretation or effect of any provision of this Constitution, grant special leave to appeal from that decision. (Art. 75) - Samoan
...
(2) Vagana mo le Vaega IX - Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, o le a faia o se talosaga i le Faamasinoga o Talosaga faasaga i so o se faaiuga a le Faamasinoga Sili i so o se taualumaga, pe afai e faamaonia e le Faamasinoga Sili e faapea o le mataupu e aafia ai se Vaega tele tau le Tulafono i le itu i le faamalamalamaina po o le faatinoina o so o se aiaiga o lenei Faavae; ma:
(a) i le itu ua tuuina mai o sea tusi faamaoni po o sea faatagaina e mafai e so o se itu faamasinoga i lea faamasinoga ona talosaga i le Faamasinoga o Talosaga i le mafuaaga e faapea, o sea mataupu sa faaiuina ma le sese ma, ina ua i ai ma le faatagaina o lena Faamasinoga ma luga o so o se tasi lava mafuaaga; po o
(b) pe a oo ina ua l8 talia e le Faamasinoga Sili le tuuina atu o sea tusi faamaoni, e mafai e le Faamasinoga o Talosaga, pe afai ua faamalieina o ia e faapea, o le mataupu o lo o aafia ai se vaega tele tau le Tulafono i le itu i le faamalamalamaina po o le faatinoina o so o se aiaiga o lenei Faavae, ona tuuina atu le faatagaina faapito ina ia talosaga ai faasaga i lena faaiuga. (Mataupu 75)
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
- 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
- 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
- English…
III. Constitutional justice is imparted by the Pluri-National Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional).
… (Art. 179) - Spanish…
III. La justicia constitucional se ejerce por el Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional.
… (Art. 179)
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 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)