Close Menu
    Comparative Docket: Judicial Review Provisions | <a href="https://constitutionwatchdog.org/crime-data-accountability-index/">Constitution</a> Watchdog
    Skip to research content
    Provision-only constitutional review mapping

    Comparative Docket:
    Judicial Review Provisions

    A publication-grade constitutional docket mapping judicial-review architecture across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. This docket deliberately excludes case-law and political commentary — it maps only constitutional text: supremacy, nullity, writs, remedies, interpretation, references, appeals, transfer powers, binding effect, emergency limits and review-channeling clauses.

    Comparative constitutional law Provision-only dataset Last reviewed 10 July 2026
    Explore the register Open the matrix
    01 · Core comparative map

    Architecture at a glance

    Use this table as the docket’s executive summary before moving into country-specific provisions below.

    Country Core review forum Main provisions Nature of review Key limits / channels
    Bangladesh High Court Division; Appellate Division 7(2), 7B, 26, 44, 47/47A, 94, 101–106, 108–112, 117, 125, 141B–141C Strong HCD writ and legality-review model; appellate constitutional review and advisory jurisdiction. Art. 47/47A savings and Art. 102(3) limits; Art. 117 tribunals; Art. 125 election channel; Arts. 141B–141C emergency enforcement limits.
    Bhutan Supreme Court; High Court 1(9)–(13), 7(22)–(23), 15(11), 20(8), 21(7)–(10), 21(14 structural), 21(18) Supreme Court as guardian / final interpreter; SC/HC declarations, orders, directions and writs. Article 7 proceedings are available under Art. 7(23), subject to Art. 7(22) restrictions and procedures prescribed by law; Art. 15(11) gives the Supreme Court a special party-dissolution role.
    India Supreme Court; High Courts Core: 13, 32, 226–228; architecture: 129, 131–144 Dual writ model: Supreme Court for Part III remedies; High Courts for Part III and “any other purpose”; other Supreme Court provisions are listed as review architecture, not standalone causes of action. 31A–31C, 33, 34, 122, 212, 262, 329, 358–359.
    Maldives Supreme Court; High Court; all courts for constitutional application 8, 10, 16, 63–66, 68–69, 95, 141–145, 253–258 (especially 258) Explicit invalidity over statutes, regulations, orders, decisions and public action; compensation and suspended declarations. Islamic-tenet limitation; statutory validity concentrated in SC/HC; Supreme Court validity review of emergency declarations, laws and orders under Art. 258.
    Nepal Supreme Court; Constitutional Bench; High Courts; District Courts (limited) 1, 46, 128, 133, 134, 137, 144, 145, 151, 273, 304 Textually explicit invalidity, PIL/legal-right writ jurisdiction, federal constitutional bench, and HC writs. Legislative internal proceedings protected except lack of jurisdiction; emergency suspension with listed exceptions.
    Pakistan Federal Constitutional Court; High Court constitutional benches; Federal Shariat Court 8, 175, 175E–175H, 187–191, 199, 201, 202A, 203D–203G/GG, 225, 233 Post-27th Amendment model: Federal Constitutional Court for central constitutional jurisdiction; HC writs through constitutional benches. Art. 175E(3) application-only limit for public-importance FR jurisdiction; Art. 199 exclusions and interim-order limits; Art. 203G Shariat bar; Art. 225 election channel; Art. 233 emergency.
    Sri Lanka Supreme Court; Court of Appeal 17, 80, 82–84, 104A, 104H, 105, 118, 120–126, 129–130, 134, 140–141 Primarily pre-enactment review of Bills; Supreme Court FR, interpretation, consultative and election/referendum jurisdiction; Court of Appeal writs and habeas corpus subject to constitutional exceptions. Art. 80(3) post-enactment validity bar; Art. 124 Bill-review exclusivity; Art. 126 one-month FR filing; Arts. 104A/104H Election Commission channel; Art. 130 election/referendum petitions.
    Research use: This executive map is an orientation layer, not a substitute for the operative constitutional text, amendments, procedural rules, or authoritative translations.
    02 · Country register

    Provision-by-provision docket

    Search by country, article number, court, remedy or limit.

    Showing 7 jurisdictions
    BD

    Bangladesh

    High Court Division; Appellate Division
    Writ-led

    Article 102 is the operational centre: fundamental-rights enforcement, legality review, habeas corpus-type custody review and quo warranto-type public-office review — paired with Arts. 44, 94, 101–106, 108–112, 117, 125 and emergency Arts. 141B–141C.

    7(2)7B264447/47A94101102103–106108–112117125141B–C
    Review styleConstitutional supremacy plus HCD writ jurisdiction, completed by Appellate Division appeal, complete-justice, review and advisory powers.
    Limits / channelsArticle 47/47A savings, Article 102(3) limits, Article 117 tribunal exclusion, Article 125 election channel, and emergency enforcement limits under Arts. 141B–141C.
    BT

    Bhutan

    Supreme Court; High Court
    Guardian model

    The Supreme Court is the constitutional guardian and final interpreter; the Supreme Court and High Court may issue declarations, orders, directions and writs, and the Supreme Court alone may dissolve a political party under Article 15(11).

    1(9)1(10)1(11)1(13)7(22)–(23)15(11)20(8)21(7)–(10)21(14 structural)21(18)
    Review styleCompact supremacy and final-interpretation model with writ/declaration powers, constitutional case withdrawal, and a special Supreme Court party-dissolution jurisdiction.
    LimitsArticle 7 rights proceedings arise under Article 7(23), subject to Article 7(22) restrictions and procedures prescribed by law.
    IN

    India

    Supreme Court; High Courts
    Dual writ

    Article 32 gives a guaranteed Supreme Court remedy for Part III rights; Article 226 gives High Courts broader writ power for Part III and “any other purpose.”

    1332226–228 core129, 131–144 architecture22622722831A–C358–359
    Review styleStrong dual superior-court review: Articles 32 and 226 are the core writ routes; Articles 129 and 131–144 supply Supreme Court architecture, appellate paths, transfer, precedent, advisory jurisdiction and complete justice.
    TrapdoorsProtective savings and channeling provisions: 31A–31C, 33, 34, 122, 212, 262, 329, and emergency limits under 358–359.
    MV

    Maldives

    Supreme Court; High Court; trial courts
    Explicit invalidity

    Article 144 is the clearest remedial clause in the set: invalidity, compensation, suspension of declarations and control of retrospective effect.

    8101663–6668–6995141–145253–258 context258 review
    Review styleSupreme Court/High Court statutory validity; all courts may determine constitutional interpretation/application in matters before them.
    Special routePeople’s Majlis reference to Supreme Court under Article 95; Article 258 specifically gives the Supreme Court validity review over emergency declarations, laws and orders.
    NP

    Nepal

    Supreme Court; Constitutional Bench; High Courts
    Direct invalidity

    Article 133 allows unconstitutional laws to be declared void either ab initio or from the date of decision, and supports legal-right and public-interest review.

    146128133134137144145151273304
    Review styleSupreme Court invalidity and extraordinary writs; Constitutional Bench for federal/jurisdictional and serious interpretation disputes; HC writs.
    Article 151District Courts may try petitions including habeas corpus and prohibition/prohibitory relief, limited to District Court jurisdiction under law — not the full Article 133/144 five-writ model.
    Nepal — translation note

    Use the safer comparative formulation: Article 151: habeas corpus and prohibition/prohibitory relief, limited to District Court jurisdiction under law; not the full Article 133/144 five-writ model.

    PK

    Pakistan

    Federal Constitutional Court; HC constitutional benches
    Post-27th Amdt.

    The current docket must be mapped through Articles 175E–175H. Article 199 remains the High Court writ route; Article 202A governs the constitutional-bench allocation for constitutional matters.

    8175175E–H187–191199201202A203D–G203GG225233
    Review styleFederal Constitutional Court for inter-government disputes, application-based public-importance FR questions, constitutional appeals, review and references; High Court writ jurisdiction remains under Article 199 and is routed through Article 202A constitutional benches.
    Special forumFederal Shariat Court repugnancy jurisdiction under Article 203D, with Article 203G bar and Article 203GG binding effect.
    LK

    Sri Lanka

    Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
    Pre-enactment

    Sri Lanka is the principal outlier: constitutional review of Bills is front-loaded before enactment, Article 17/126 supplies the FR route, Article 129 supplies consultative jurisdiction, and Article 80(3) sharply limits later validity challenges.

    178082–84104A104H105118120–126129–130134140141
    Review styleSupreme Court Bill review, FR/language-right jurisdiction, constitutional interpretation, consultative jurisdiction and election/referendum petition jurisdiction; Court of Appeal writs and habeas corpus subject to constitutional exceptions.
    Added routeArticle 104H gives the Supreme Court writ jurisdiction, otherwise exercisable by the Court of Appeal under Article 140, in matters arising from Election Commission powers, with strict filing and disposal periods.
    No jurisdiction matched Try a country, article number, court, remedy, or reset the filters.
    03 · Function matrix

    Judicial-review functions

    Function first, article pathway second — designed for legal editors and researchers.

    Function BDBTINMVNPPKLK
    Supremacy / nullity7(2), 261(9)–(10)138, 10, 63, 661, 304880; 120–123
    FR enforcement44, 102(1)7(23), 21(18)32, 22665, 143–14446, 133, 144175E(3), 19917, 126
    General writ / legality review102(2)21(10)226; 139 if conferred144133, 144; 151 limited habeas corpus + prohibition/prohibitory relief199 via 202A140–141; 104H EC route
    Statutory validity review7, 26, 1021(10), 2113, 32, 226143(a), 144133175E, 199, 203D120–123 before enactment
    Interpretation / constitutional questions103, 106, 110, 1111(11), 21(9)132, 139A, 143, 22895, 143(b), 145128, 133, 137175E–F, 175H, 189125; 129 advisory
    Reference / advisory10621(8)14395—175H129; 121–122 Bill-review references
    Binding effect1111(11)141143(d), 145128189, 201, 203GG125 determinations
    Complete justice / remedial tailoring10421(10)142144133, 144187126, 140
    Transfer / withdrawal11021(9)139A, 228—134, 145175E(5)125 referral
    Emergency limits141B–141CArt. 33 read with Art. 7 limits358–359253–258; 258 review273233Emergency rules outside main Bill-review model
    Election / special channel125Art. 15(11) party dissolution; election provisions329Special election provisions; Art. 95 reference possible137 for legislative election/disqualification225104A, 104H, 130
    Post-enactment barSpecific exclusions onlyNo general bar identifiedNo general barNo general barNo general barNo general bar; special bars80(3)
    04 · Remedy pathways

    How claims move

    Simplified routes for readers. Filing rules, limitation, standing and doctrine remain jurisdiction-specific.

    BD

    Bangladesh

    Aggrieved person→ HCD Art. 102→ AD Art. 103→ Arts. 104–106
    BT

    Bhutan

    Constitution/law matter→ Courts Art. 21(18)→ SC/HC writs 21(10)
    IN

    India

    Fundamental right→ SC Art. 32/ HC Art. 226→ SC appeal / SLP
    MV

    Maldives

    Rights breach→ Art. 65 remedy→ Arts. 143–144 invalidity/remedy
    NP

    Nepal

    Invalid law / PIL→ SC Art. 133→ Const. Bench Art. 137(2) / 137(3)
    PK

    Pakistan

    Public-law / FR→ HC Art. 199 via 202A→ FCC Arts. 175E–F
    LK

    Sri Lanka

    Bill→ SC Arts. 120–123| FR / exec action→ SC Art. 126| Writs CA 140–141 / SC 104H
    05 · Comparative conclusions

    Critical findings

    Six critical comparative conclusions

    1

    Sri Lanka is structurally distinct. Its legislation-review model is pre-enactment, and Article 80(3) is the major post-enactment validity barrier; Article 129 is the consultative route and Article 130 covers election/referendum petitions.

    2

    Nepal and Maldives are textually explicit. Nepal states void ab initio or from decision date; Maldives adds compensation, suspended invalidity and retrospective limitation.

    3

    India has the broadest dual writ architecture. Article 32 is the guaranteed Supreme Court route, while Article 226 is wider because it covers “any other purpose.”

    4

    Pakistan must be read post-27th Amendment. The central constitutional-review forum is the Federal Constitutional Court, not the older Supreme Court-centric model.

    5

    Bangladesh Article 102 is powerful but bounded. The key exclusions and channels are Articles 47/47A, 102(3)–(5), 117, 125 and emergency Arts. 141B–141C.

    6

    Bhutan is compact but not thin. Operative provisions are concentrated in Articles 1, 7, 15(11), 20 and 21, especially the guardian/final-interpreter role, SC/HC writ powers and special Supreme Court party-dissolution jurisdiction.

    DMCA.com Protection Status