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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 sections 23(3), 37(10)(b), 50(7) and 116(2), any person who alleges that any provision of this Constitution (other than a provision of Chapter II2) has been or is being contravened may, if he or she has a relevant interest, apply to the High Court for a declaration and for relief under this section.
(2) The High Court shall have jurisdiction on an application made under this section to determine whether any provision of this Constitution (other than a provision of Chapter II) has been or is being contravened and to make a declaration accordingly.
(3) Where the High Court makes a declaration under this section that a provision of this Constitution has been or is being contravened and the person on whose application the declaration is made has also applied for relief, the High Court may grant to that person such remedy as it considers appropriate, being a remedy available generally under any law in proceedings in the High Court.
(4) The Chief Justice may make rules with respect to the practice and procedure of the High Court in relation to the jurisdiction and powers conferred on the court by or under this section, including provision with respect to the time within which any application under this section may be made.
(5) A person shall be regarded as having a relevant interest for the purpose of an application under this section only if the contravention of this Constitution alleged by him or her is such as to affect his or her interests.
(6) The rights conferred on a person by this section to apply for a declaration and relief in respect of an alleged contravention of this Constitution shall be in addition to any other action in respect of the same matter that may be available to that person under any law.
(7) Nothing in this section shall confer jurisdiction on the High Court to hear or determine any such question as is referred to in section 36. (Sec. 96)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe High Court shall temporarily assume all duties assigned to administrative courts and to the High Constitutional Court, unless they fall within the jurisdiction of other judicial entities, in accordance with applicable laws. (Art. 104)
- Arabicتتولى المحكمة العليا مؤقتاً كل المهام المسندة للمحاكم الإدارية والمحكمة الدستورية العليا ما لم تكن داخله في اختصاص جهة قضائية أخرى وفقاً للقوانين النافذة. (المادّة 104)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
(5) Cabinet may seek an opinion from the Supreme Court on any matter concerning the interpretation or application of this Constitution. (Sec. 91) - iTaukei…
(5) Na Boseyaco me taro ivakasala i na Mataveilewai Cecere ena vuku ni kena vakamacalataki na Yavunivakavulewa qo. (Sec. 91)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court is equally competent to decide on the cases specified in the Articles 6, 53, 54, 60, 67, 86, 103 and 110 of the Constitution. (Art. 129)
- FrenchLa Cour constitutionnelle est également compétente pour statuer sur les cas prévus aux articles 6, 53, 54, 60, 67, 86, 103 et 110 de la Constitution. (Art. 129)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishLaws may be declared unconstitutional by reason of form or content, in accordance with the provisions of the following articles. (Art. 256)
- SpanishLas leyes podrán ser declaradas inconstitucionales por razón de forma o de contenido, de acuerdo con lo que se establece en los artículos siguientes. (Art. 256)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Supreme Court of Justice is the highest court of law and the guarantor of a uniform enforcement of the law, and has jurisdiction throughout the national territory.
2. It is also incumbent on the Supreme Court of Justice to administer justice on matters of legal, constitutional and electoral nature.
… (Sec. 124) - Tetum1. Tribunál Supremu Justisa nian mak órgaun boot liu iha órgaun ierarkia tribunál judisiál hotu-hotu ninian, no mós fó garantia atu aplika lei oin ida de’it ho jurisdisaun iha nasaun tomak nia laran.
2. Kompete mós ba Tribunál Supremu Justisa nian atu administra justisa ba buat ne’ebé konaba lia jurídiku-konstitusionál no eleitorál.
… (Art. 124) - Portuguese1. O Supremo Tribunal de Justiça é o mais alto órgão da hierarquia dos tribunais judiciais e o garante da aplicação uniforme da lei, com jurisdição em todo o território nacional.
2. Ao Supremo Tribunal de Justiça compete também administrar justiça em matérias de natureza jurídico-constitucional e eleitoral.
… (Art. 124)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) Subject to Subsection (4), the Supreme Court shall, on application by an authority referred to in Subsection (3), give its opinion on any question relating to the interpretation or application of any provision of a Constitutional Law, including (but without limiting the generality of that expression)any question as to the validity of a law or proposed law.
…
(3) The following authorities only are entitled to make application under Subsection (1):-
(a) the Parliament; and
(b) the Head of State, acting with, and in accordance with, the advice of the National Executive Council; and
(c) the Law Officers of Papua New Guinea; and
(d) the Law Reform Commission; and
(e) the Ombudsman Commission; and
(ea) a Provincial Assembly or a Local-level Government; and
(eb) a provincial executive; and
(ec) a body established by a Constitutional Law or an Act of the Parliament specifically for the settlement of disputes between the National Government and Provincial Governments or Local-level Governments, or between Provincial Governments, or between Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments, or Local-level Governments; and
(f) the Speaker, in accordance with Section 137(3) (Acts of Indemnity).
(4) Subject to any Act of the Parliament, the Rules of Court of the Supreme Court may make provision in respect of matters relating to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under this section, and in particular as to-
(a) the form and contents of questions to be decided by the Court; and
(b) the provision of counsel adequate to enable full argument before the Court of any question; and
(c) cases and circumstances in which the Court may decline to give an opinion.
… (Sec. 19)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Court shall have jurisdiction to hear appeals against any of the following court decisions:
a) Refusing to apply a legal rule on the grounds of its unconstitutionality;
b) Applying rules whose constitutionality may have been challenged during the proceedings.
2. The Constitutional Court shall also have jurisdiction to hear appeals against any of the following court decisions:
a) Refusing to apply the legal rule of a regional law on the grounds of its illegality by infringement of a law of superior force;
b) Refusing to apply the legal rule of a regional legislative on the grounds of its illegality by infringement of the Political and Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of Príncipe or of the general law of the Republic;
c) Refusing to apply the legal rule of a law emanating from a sovereign body on the grounds of illegality by infringement of the Political and Administrative Statute of the Autonomous Region of Príncipe;
d) Applying a rule, whose legality has been challenged during the proceedings on any of the grounds specified in subparagraphs a), b) and c).
3. If a rule, whose application has been refused, consists of an international convention, of a legislative act or of a regulatory decree, the appeals contemplated in subparagraph a) of paragraph 1 and paragraph a) of paragraph 2 of this article are required for public prosecution.
4. The appeals contemplated in subparagraphs b) and d) of paragraph 2 may be instituted only by the party who has challenged the unconstitutionality or illegality, and the law shall regulate the rules on admissibility of these appeals.
5. The Constitutional Court, mandatorily the Public Prosecutor’s Office, shall also have jurisdiction to hear appeals against the decisions of courts that apply a law previously judged unconstitutional or illegal by the Constitutional Court itself.
6. Appeals to the Constitutional Court shall be restricted to the question of unconstitutionality or of illegality, in conformance with the cases. (Art. 149) - 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 a 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 de lei com valor reforçado;
b) Que recusem a aplicação de norma constante de diploma regional com fundamento na sua ilegalidade por violação do Estatuto Político-Administrativo da Região Autónoma do Príncipe ou de lei geral da República;
c) Que recusem a aplicação de norma constante de diploma emanado de um órgão de soberania com fundamento na ilegalidade por violação do Estatuto Político-Administrativo da Região Autónoma do Príncipe;
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 número 1 e na alínea a) do número 2 deste artigo são obrigatórios para o Ministério Público.
4. Os recursos previstos nas alíneas b) e d) do número 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. 149)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishIf the High Court Division is satisfied that a case pending in a court subordinate to it involves a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitution, or on a point of general public importance, the determination of which is necessary for the disposal of the case, it shall withdraw the case from that court and may –
(a) either dispose of the case itself ; or
(b) determine the question of law and return the case to the court from which it has been so withdrawn (or transfer it to another subordinate court) together with a copy of the judgment of the division on such question, and the court to which the case is so returned or transferred shall, on receipt thereof, proceed to dispose of the case in conformity with such judgment. (Art. 110) - Bengaliহাইকোর্ট বিভাগের নিকট যদি সন্তোষজনকভাবে প্রতীয়মান হয় যে, উক্ত বিভাগের কোন অধঃস্তন আদালতের বিচারাধীন কোন মামলায় এই সংবিধানের ব্যাখ্যা-সংক্রান্ত আইনের এমন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ প্রশ্ন বা এমন জন-গুরুত্বসম্পন্ন বিষয় জড়িত রহিয়াছে, সংশ্লিষ্ট মামলার মীমাংসার জন্য যাহার সম্পর্কে সিদ্ধান্ত গ্রহণ প্রয়োজন, তাহা হইলে হাইকোর্ট বিভাগ উক্ত আদালত হইতে মামলাটি প্রত্যাহার করিয়া লইবেন এবং
(ক) স্বয়ং মামলাটির মীমাংসা করিবেন; অথবা
(খ) উক্ত আইনের প্রশ্নটির নিষ্পত্তি করিবেন এবং উক্ত প্রশ্ন সম্বন্ধে হাইকোর্ট বিভাগের রায়ের নকলসহ যে আদালত হইতে মামলাটি প্রত্যাহার করা হইয়াছিল, সেই আদালতে (বা অন্য কোন অধঃস্তন আদালতে) মামলাটি ফেরত পাঠাইবেন এবং তাহা প্রাপ্ত হইবার পর সেই আদালত উক্ত রায়ের সহিত সঙ্গতি রক্ষা করিয়া মামলাটির মীমাংসা করিতে প্রবৃত্ত হইবেন। (অনুচ্ছেদ ১১০)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
1. The Constitutional Court decides on:
a) compatibility of the law with the Constitution or with international agreements, as foreseen in Article 122;
b) compatibility of international agreements with the Constitution prior to their ratification;
c) compatibility of normative acts of the central and local bodies with the Constitution and international agreements;
ç) conflicts of competencies between state powers, as well as between central government and local government;
d) constitutionality of political parties and other political organizations, as well as their activity, as per Article 9 of this Constitution;
dh) dismissal from duty of the President of the Republic and finding of his/her inability to exercise his/her functions;
e) matters connected to the electability and noncompliance in assuming the functions of the President of the Republic, of deputies, of functionaries of bodies foreseen in the Constitution, as well as to the verification of their election;
ë) constitutionality of the referendum and verification of its results;
f) conclusive adjudication of the complaints of individuals against the acts of the public powers or judicial acts impairing the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, after all effective legal means for the protection of these rights have been exhausted, unless provided otherwise by the Constitution.
2. The Constitutional Court, when recourse being sought for examining a law on the revision of the Constitution, approved by the Assembly according to Article 177, shall control only the compliance with the procedural requirements foreseen in the Constitution. (Art. 131) - Albanian
1. Gjykata Kushtetuese vendos për:
a) pajtueshmërinë e ligjit me Kushtetutën ose me marrëveshjet ndërkombëtare, siç parashikohet në nenin 122;
b) pajtueshmërinë e marrëveshjeve ndërkombëtare me Kushtetutën para ratifikimit të tyre;
c) pajtueshmërinë e akteve normative të organeve qendrore dhe vendore me Kushtetutën dhe me marrëveshjet ndërkombëtare;
ç) mosmarrëveshjet e kompetencës ndërmjet pushteteve, si dhe ndërmjet pushtetit qendror dhe qeverisjes vendore;
d) kushtetutshmërinë e partive dhe të organizatave të tjera politike, si dhe të veprimtarisë së tyre, sipas nenit 9 të kësaj Kushtetute;
dh) shkarkimin nga detyra të Presidentit të Republikës dhe vërtetimin e pamundësisë së ushtrimit të funksioneve të tij;
e) çështjet që lidhen me zgjedhshmërinë dhe papajtueshmëritë në ushtrimin e funksioneve të Presidentit të Republikës, të deputetëve, të funksionarëve të organeve të parashikuara në Kushtetutë, si dhe me verifikimin e zgjedhjes së tyre.
ë) kushtetutshmerinë e referendumit dhe verifikimin e rezultateve të tij;
f) gjykimin përfundimtar të ankesave të individëve kundër çdo akti të pushtetit publik ose vendimi gjyqësor që cenon të drejtat dhe liritë themelore të garantuara në Kushtetutë, pasi të jenë shteruar të gjitha mjetet juridike efektive për mbrojtjen e këtyre të drejtave, përveçse kur parashikohet ndryshe në Kushtetutë.
2. Gjykata Kushtetuese, në rastin kur vihet në lëvizje për shqyrtimin e një ligji për rishikimin e Kushtetutës, të miratuar nga Kuvendi sipas nenit 177, kontrollon vetëm respektimin e procedurës së parashikuar nga Kushtetuta. (Neni 131)