Constitutional Court
The Constitutional Court is an independent body of constitutional review. A citizen may challenge a normative legal act that directly affects their constitutional rights, but the constitutional law sets admissibility conditions for that route.
Role of the Court
The Constitutional Court ensures the supremacy of the Constitution. It reviews laws and other normative legal acts within the competence set by Articles 72–75 of the Constitution.
It does not replace ordinary courts: it does not re-weigh evidence or hear an appeal on the merits of a dispute.
Who may apply and about what
The President, Chair of the Kurultai, at least one fifth of Kurultai deputies, and the Prime Minister may apply on the matters expressly listed in Article 73, including laws before signature, Kurultai resolutions, international treaties before ratification, and official interpretation of the Constitution.
A court refers a normative act when it must apply that act and finds that it infringes constitutional rights. A citizen of Kazakhstan may challenge a law or other normative legal act that directly affects their rights and freedoms.
The constitutional law sets admissibility conditions for citizen applications. As a general rule, the challenged provision must have been applied in a concrete case and the application must be filed within one year after the relevant final court act. The law provides limited exceptions.
Composition and independence
The Court has a Chair and ten judges. A judge serves one non-renewable eight-year term. The President appoints the Chair; the President appoints judges with the consent of the Kurultai.
The Constitution and constitutional law determine the Court’s status, guarantees, and procedure. A short explainer cannot replace legal advice where the subject, documents, and deadline matter.
Legal force of decisions
Constitutional Court decisions take effect on the date of adoption, are binding throughout Kazakhstan, final, and not subject to appeal. A normative act or provision found unconstitutional ceases to operate and cannot be applied from the decision date or another date set by the Court.
Verify the procedure
Key facts
- The Constitutional Court reviews normative acts for compliance with the Constitution within its competence
- A citizen challenges an act that directly affects their rights and must meet admissibility conditions
- The Court does not replace an appeal on the facts of a case
- Its decisions are final, binding, and set the date from which an unconstitutional rule ceases to operate
Public positions and documents
An editorial selection showing how the topic developed and where it stands now.
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«Был создан Конституционный Суд, куда для защиты своих конституционных прав и свобод теперь могут обращаться все граждане.»
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«Он отметил, что еще одной ключевой особенностью нового текста Конституции является ориентация на права человека. Так, права и свободы человека закреплены не только в новой Преамбуле, но и утверждены в качестве особого приоритета и смыслового стержня всей Конституции.»
Basis for this explainer
Constitutional provisions and primary sources supporting this explanation.
Constitutional provisions
Primary sources
Open sources the editorial team used to verify this explainer. Checked 16 July 2026.
Related articles
Quick links to the constitutional articles behind this explainer.