The chairman of the Constitutional Court, Mirzo-Ulugbek Abdusalomov, said a bill covering the full scope of the court's activities is nearing completion and will soon be submitted to parliament.
He made the announcement on August 14, following a meeting between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the heads of the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Judicial Council, at which the "Justice - 2030" strategy and further judicial and legal reforms were discussed.
"Major, historic meeting took place with the president," Abdusalomov told the Uzbekistan 24 television channel. "This was the first time such a dialogue took place between the president and the heads of all three institutions - the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Judicial Council - simultaneously."
He said the meeting addressed several major issues, chief among them a draft presidential decree on the Fair Judiciary - 2030 strategy.
"Under the newly amended constitution, the central goal is the elevation of the individual. The president's policies are aligned with that goal, and the protection of human rights in the courts remains a particularly pressing issue today," he said.
The Constitutional Court chairman acknowledged that shortcomings persist within the judicial system. "But today these issues were discussed openly and candidly, and steps to address them were also identified," he added.
The meeting also touched separately on the work of the Constitutional Court itself.
According to Abdusalomov, regulations governing the Constitutional Court has now been revised for a third time in the past decade - first in 2017, then in 2021, and now with a new draft underway. He said the current draft is being developed jointly with legal scholars and the Legislative Chamber, the lower house of parliament.
"One new law aimed at improving the work of the Constitutional Court has already been adopted and has now been sent to the Senate," he said.
At the same time, the chairman said, a second, more far-reaching bill is being drafted. "It, too, will be ready soon. Scholars are involved in the work, and we have received input from a large number of foreign experts. The draft is now at nearly its final stage. After that, we will submit it to parliament. This will be a new law covering the entire scope of the Constitutional Court's activities," he said.
He said the key difference between the new legislation and existing law lies in its emphasis on "the human factor" - protecting human rights, ensuring the supremacy of the constitution and the law, and further improving and elevating the work of the Constitutional Court.
"We discussed these matters with the president today and received his approval," Abdusalomov said.
He added that the bills are expected to be submitted to parliament and presented to the public in the near future. "This will help bring the Constitutional Court closer to the people and enshrine in law the openness of its doors to everyone," he said.
In January 2024, the Constitutional Court was granted the authority to rule on whether questions submitted to a referendum comply with the constitution, and judges' terms on the court were extended from five to ten years.
The Constitutional Court is a standing judicial body that reviews the constitutionality of acts issued by the legislative and executive branches. Its powers include reviewing the constitutionality of laws, resolutions of the chambers of the parliament, presidential and government acts, decisions of local authorities, and the country's international obligations. The court also reviews constitutional laws for compliance with the constitution before they are signed by the president, issues opinions on referendum questions, reviews legislation from the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, and provides official interpretations of the constitution and other laws. It may also hear complaints from the public and legal entities challenging the constitutionality of a law applied in a specific case, where the complainant argues that law violated their constitutional rights.
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