Referendum; legal measures in referendum campaigns; the right to a fair trial K 10/15
Ref. No. <link s k-1015 _blank>K 10/15
JUDGMENT
IN THE NAME OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND
Warsaw, 20 April 2017
The Constitutional Tribunal, in a bench composed of:
Sławomira Wronkowska-Jaśkiewicz – Presiding Judge
Zbigniew Jędrzejewski – Judge Rapporteur
Leon Kieres
Lech Morawski
Małgorzata Pyziak-Szafnicka,
having considered, at a sitting in camera on 20 April 2017 – in accordance with Article 92(1)(1) of the Act of 30 November 2016 on the Organisation of the Constitutional Tribunal and the Mode of Proceedings Before the Constitutional Tribunal (Journal of Laws – Dz. U. item 2072) – an application submitted by the Ombudsman in which he requested the Tribunal to examine the conformity of:
1) Article 44(3), second sentence, of the Nationwide Referendum Act of 14 March 2003 (Journal of Laws – Dz. U. No. 57, item 507, as amended), insofar as it rules out the admissibility of the reopening of proceedings, to Article 45(1) and Article 77(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland;
2) Article 35(3), third sentence, of the Local Referendum Act of 15 September 2000 (Journal of Laws – Dz. U. of 2013, item 706, as amended), insofar as it rules out the admissibility of the reopening of proceedings, to Article 45(1) and Article 77(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland.
adjudicates as follows:
1. Article 44(3), second sentence, of the Nationwide Referendum Act of 14 March 2003 (Journal of Laws – Dz. U. of 2015, item 318), insofar as it rules out the admissibility of the reopening of proceedings, is inconsistent with Article 45(1) and Article 77(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland;
2. Article 35(3), third sentence, of the Local Referendum Act of 15 September 2000 (Journal of Laws – Dz. U. of 2016, item 400), insofar as it rules out the admissibility of the reopening of proceedings, is inconsistent with Article 45(1) and Article 77(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland.
The ruling was unanimous.
Sławomira Wronkowska-Jaśkiewicz (dissenting opinion with regard to the composition of the adjudicating bench)
Zbigniew Jędrzejewski
Leon Kieres
Lech Morawski
Małgorzata Pyziak-Szafnicka