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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) Where any question as to the interpretation of this Constitution arises in any proceedings in any subordinate court and the court is of the 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 High Court.
(2) Where any question is referred to the High Court in pursuance of this section, the High Court shall give its decision upon the question and the court in which the question arose shall, subject to any appeal, dispose of the case in accordance with that decision. (Sec. 105)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishAll persons have the right to the recourse of habeas corpus to guarantee their personal freedom and integrity, and to the recourse of amparo to maintain or reestablish the enjoyment of the other rights consecrated in this Constitution, as well as those of a fundamental character established in the international instruments concerning human rights, applicable in the Republic. Both recourses will be of the competence of the Chamber indicated in Article 10. (Art. 48)
- SpanishToda persona tiene derecho al recurso de hábeas corpus para garantizar su libertad e integridad personales, y al recurso de amparo para mantener o restablecer el goce de los otros derechos consagrados en esta Constitución, así como de los de carácter fundamental establecidos en los instrumentos internacionales sobre derechos humanos, aplicables en la República. Ambos recursos serán de competencia de la Sala indicada en el artículo 10. (Art. 48)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Law Committee shall issue statements on the constitutionality of legislative proposals and other matters brought for its consideration, as well as on their relation to international human rights treaties. (Sec. 74)
- Finnish
Eduskunnan perustuslakivaliokunnan tehtävänä on antaa lausuntonsa sen käsittelyyn tulevien lakiehdotusten ja muiden asioiden perustuslainmukaisuudesta sekä suhteesta kansainvälisiin ihmisoikeussopimuksiin. (74 §)
- Swedish
Riksdagens grundlagsutskott skall ge utlåtanden om grundlagsenligheten i fråga om lagförslag och andra ärenden som föreläggs utskottet samt om deras förhållande till internationella fördrag om mänskliga rättigheter. (74 §)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Court decisions shall be subject to appeal to the Constitutional Court whenever:
a) The courts refuse, on the grounds of unconstitutionality, to apply any rule or resolution of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete;
b) They apply rules or resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, whose unconstitutionality has been challenged in the proceedings;
c) They apply rules or resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, which have previously been considered unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court itself.
2. Decisions shall also be subject to appeal to the Constitutional Court whenever:
a) They apply resolutions of a content that is material and normative or specific and concrete, which have previously been considered illegal by the Constitutional Court or whose illegality has been challenged in the proceedings.
b) They refuse to apply, on the grounds of illegality, the resolutions referred to in the preceding subparagraph. (Art. 281) - Portuguese1. Cabe recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional, das decisões dos Tribunais que:
a) Recusem, com fundamento em inconstitucionalidade, a aplicação de qualquer norma ou resolução de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto;
b) Apliquem normas ou resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto cuja inconstitucionalidade haja sido suscitada no processo;
c) Apliquem normas ou resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto que tenham sido anteriormente julgadas inconstitucionais pelo próprio Tribunal Constitucional.
2. Cabe, ainda, recurso para o Tribunal Constitucional das decisões que:
a) Apliquem resoluções de conteúdo material normativo ou individual e concreto que tenham sido julgadas anteriormente ilegais pelo próprio Tribunal Constitucional ou cuja ilegalidade haja sido suscitada no processo;
b) Recusem aplicar, com fundamento em ilegalidade, as resoluções referidas na alínea anterior. (Art. 281)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The House has the power to interpret the Constitution.
… (Art. 62) - Amharic1. ምክር ቤቱ ሕገ መንግሥቱን የመተርጐም ሥልጣን ይኖረዋል፡፡
… (አንቀጽ 62)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court shall issue a prior and binding ruling of constitutionality in the following cases, in addition to those stipulated by the law:
1. International treaties, prior to their ratification by the National Assembly.
2. Calls to referendums nationwide or of decentralized autonomous governments.
3. Objections of unconstitutionality presented by the President of the Republic in the processing of drafting laws. (Art. 438) - SpanishLa Corte Constitucional emitirá dictamen previo y vinculante de constitucionalidad en los siguientes casos, además de los que determine la ley:
1. Tratados internacionales, previamente a su ratificación por parte de la Asamblea Nacional.
2. Convocatorias a consultas populares de carácter nacional o a nivel de los gobiernos autónomos descentralizados.
3. Objeciones de inconstitucionalidad presentadas por la Presidenta o Presidente de la República en el proceso de formación de las leyes. (Art. 438)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
(1) The Constitutional Court:
a) exercises, upon appeal, the review of constitutionality over laws and decisions of the Parliament, decrees of the President, decisions and ordinances of the Government, as well as over international treaties to which the Republic of Moldova is a party;
b) gives the interpretation of the Constitution;
c) formulates its position on initiatives aimed at revising the Constitution;
d) confirms the results of republican referenda;
e) confirms the results of parliamentary and presidential elections in the Republic of Moldova;
f) ascertains the circumstances justifying the dissolution of the Parliament, the removal of the President of the Republic of Moldova or the interim office of the President, as well as the impossibility of the President of the Republic of Moldova to fully exercise his/her functional duties for more than 60 days;
g) solves the pleas of unconstitutionality of legal acts, as claimed by the Supreme Court of Justice;
h) decides over matters dealing with the constitutionality of a party.
(2) The Constitutional Court carries out its activity on the initiative brought forward by the subjects provided for by the Law on the Constitutional Court. (Art. 135) - Moldovian
(1) Curtea Constituţională:
a) exercită, la sesizare, controlul constituţionalităţii legilor şi hotărîrilor Parlamentului, a decretelor Preşedintelui Republicii Moldova, a hotărîrilor şi ordonanţelor Guvernului, precum şi a tratatelor internaţionale la care Republica Moldova este parte;
b) interpretează Constituţia;
c) se pronunţă asupra iniţiativelor de revizuirea Constituţiei;
d) confirmă rezultatele referendumurilor republicane;
e) confirmă rezultatele alegerii Parlamentului şi a Preşedintelui Republicii Moldova;
f) constată circumstanţele care justifică dizolvarea Parlamentului, demiterea Preşedintelui Republicii Moldova sau interimatul funcţiei de Preşedinte, precum şi imposibilitatea Preşedintelui Republicii Moldova de a-şi exercita atribuţiile mai mult de 60 de zile;
g) rezolvă cazurile excepţionale de neconstituţionalitate a actelor juridice, sesizate de Curtea Supremă de Justiţie;
h) hotărăşte asupra chestiunilor care au ca obiect constituţionalitatea unui partid.
(2) Curtea Constituţională îşi desfăşoară activitatea din iniţiativa subiecţilor prevăzuţi de Legea cu privire la Curtea Constituţională. (Art. 135)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The international commitments provided for in Article 120 before their ratification, the constitutional laws adopted by parliamentary vote [voie], the organic laws before their promulgation, [and] the regulations of the parliamentary assemblies before their entry into application, must be deferred by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly or the President of the Senate to the Constitutional Council, which pronounces on their conformity with the Constitution.
... (Art. 134) - French
Les engagements internationaux visés à l'article 120 avant leur ratification, les lois constitutionnelles adoptées par voie parlementaire, les lois organiques avant leur promulgation, les règlements des assemblées parlementaires avant leur mise en application, doivent être déférés par la Président de la République, le Président de l'Assemblée nationale ou le Président du Sénat au Conseil constitutionnel, qui se prononce sur leur conformité à la Constitution.
… (Art. 134)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English...
(3) Subject to clause (5), the High Court shall have—
…
(d) jurisdiction to hear any question respecting the interpretation of this Constitution including the determination of—
(i) the question whether any law is inconsistent with or in contravention of this Constitution;
(ii) the question whether anything said to be done under the authority of this Constitution or of any law is inconsistent with, or in contravention of, this Constitution;
(iii) any matter relating to constitutional powers of State organs in respect of county governments and any matter relating to the constitutional relationship between the levels of government;
(iv) a question relating to conflict of laws under Article 191;
… (Art. 165) - Swahili...
(3) Kwa kuzingatia ibara ya (5), Mahakama Kuu itakuwa-
…
(d) mamlaka ya kusikiliza shauri lolote kuhusu ufafanuzi wa Katiba hii ikiwa ni pamoja na uamuzi wa-
(i) shauri kwamba iwapo sheria yoyote ipo kinyume au imevunja Katiba hii;
(ii) shauri kwamba iwapo kuna kitu chochote ambacho kimefanywa chini ya mamlaka ya Katiba hii au ya sheria yoyote kipo kinyume au kimevunja Katiba hii;
(iii) jambo lolote linalohusiana na nguvu ya kikatiba ya vyombo vya Serikali kuhusu serikali za kaunti na jambo lolote linalohusiana na uhusiano wa kikatiba kati ya ngazi za serikali;
(iv) shauri linalohusiana na mgongano wa sheria chini ya Kifungu cha 191;
… (Kifungu cha 165)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
Whenever the executive returns a bill, it shall again be debated in the National Congress, and if it is ratified by a two-thirds vote, it shall again be sent to the executive branch, with this phrase: “Constitutionally ratified” and the executive branch shall publish it forthwith.
If the grounds for the veto are that the bill is unconstitutional, it may not be submitted to a new debate until the opinion of the Supreme Court of Justice has been obtained; the Court shall issue its opinion within such period as the National Congress shall specify. (Art. 216) - Spanish…
Cuando el Ejecutivo devolviere el proyecto, el Congreso Nacional lo someterá a nueva deliberación, y si fuere ratificado por (2/3) dos tercios de votos, lo pasará de nuevo al Poder Ejecutivo, con esta fórmula: "Ratificado Constitucionalmente" y, éste lo publicará sin tardanza.
Si el veto se fundare en que el proyecto de ley es inconstitucional, no podrá someterse a una nueva deliberación sin oír previamente a la Corte Suprema de Justicia; ésta emitirá su dictamen en el término que el Congreso Nacional le señale. (Art. 216)