* It is a supreme institution stipulated in the 1993 Constitution to guarantee the respect of the Constitution, to interpret the Constitution and the laws adopted by the National Assembly and completely reviewed by the Senate, and to examine and decide on litigations related to the elections of the Members of the National Assembly and to the elections of the Senators.

* This Institution has been effectively functioning since June 15, 1998.

* The Constitutional Council is composed of one President and 8 members. The President is elected by a college of 9 Councillors at the absolute majority. The election of the President would take place every three years after the three new members come into office. The President has rank and prerogatives of the President of the National Assembly. Members have rank and prerogatives of the Vice-President of the National Assembly. The normal mandate of the members is 9 years, but a third of members are replaced every 3 years. For the first mandate, 3 members are appointed or elected for a term of 3, 6, and 9 years respectively. 3 members are appointed by the King while the National Assembly and the Supreme Council of Magistracy would elect 3 members each. All the Members of the Constitutional Council shall be chosen among the high-ranking personalities of Khmer nationality by birth, aged at least 45 years old, holding high diplomas in law, administration, diplomacy or economics and having professional experiences of at least 15 years.

* As a principle, the Constitutional Council can not examine any matter on its own initiative. Only the King, the President of the Senate, the President of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, one-fourth of the Senators, one-tenth of the members of the National Assembly, or the Court can request the Constitutional Council to examine the constitutionality of the law. People and political parties can submit the requests or lodge the complaints under conditions as stated hereafter.

The King and the Constitutional Council

* The King consults the Constitutional Council on any proposal aiming at amending the Constitution.

* The initiative of the revision or the amendment of the Constitution belongs to the King, ` to the Prime Minister and to the President of the National Assembly on the proposal from one-fourth of the National Assembly’s Members.

The Constitutional Council and the Citizens

* Citizen, party to legal proceeding, can raise the question of unconstitutionality of the law or decision of state institutions. The lower jurisdiction shall submit the complaint to the Supreme Court. Should the Supreme Court find the complaint valid, it shall forward the complaint to the Constitutional Council. The question raised is called the interlocutory question. The court in charge of the trial shall suspend its hearing and wait for the answer of the Constitutional Council.

* Citizens have the right to raise, outside the court case, the constitutionality of a law with the Constitutional Council through the President of the Senate, the President of the National Assembly, one fourth of the senators or one tenth of the National Assembly members.

* During the elections of the members of the National Assembly and of the Senate, the Constitutional Council rules on the complaints of the citizens contesting the decisions of the National Election Committee (N.E.C.).

The Constitutional Council and Political Parties

* During the elections of the members of the National Assembly and of the Senate, the Constitutional Council examines and decides on the direct complaint from any political party within 72 hours after the proclamation of the provisional results of the elections or on the complaint in appeal from a political party contesting the decisions of the National Election Committee (N.E.C.).

* The Constitutional Council has the competence to rule on litigations related to the elections of the members of the National Assembly and those of the Senators, such as complaints concerning the initial electoral rolls at the time of the elector's registration and the complaints occurred during the electoral campaign. In this case, the Constitutional Council acts as a Court.

The Constitutional Council and Interpretation/Constitutional review

* The Constitutional Council Interprets the Constitution and the laws, in the framework of the examination of the constitutionality, when requested by the King, the President of the Senate, the President of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, one-fourth of the senators, one-tenth of the National Assembly members or by the court.

* Within the above mentioned conditions, the Constitutional Council can examine the constitutionality of the laws before or after their promulgation, except the organic laws, the rules of procedures of the Senate and of the National Assembly which shall be examined before their promulgation or their implementation.

The Constitutional Council and the National Sovereignty

* The Constitutional Council is the only competent institution having the authority to nullify any vote by the National Assembly that is contrary to the principle of safeguarding the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and that undermines the political unity or the administrative management of the nation.

* The decisions of the Constitutional Council are final without recourse and have authority over all instituted powers stipulated in the Constitution.

Achievements

Year	Consultation	Electoral litigation	Interpretation		Constitutional review	Rejection for incompetence or legal form
			Constitution	Laws
1998	01	17				06
1999			02		11	01
2000			02		02	05
2001	01			02	04	02
2002			02	02	01	04
2003	02	10	01	02	01	04
2004			01		09	03
2005	03	01			04	02
2006	01	05			11	01
2007	01	03			03	02
2008	01	18			02	01
2009			01	02		04
2010			01	02	02	03
2011		02			06	06
2012		04			01
2013		39			06	02
2014	02				06	02
2015			01		05
2016					02	01
2017		23			09	01
2018	01	01			04
2019					03
2020(3)		10			03	01
Total	13	143	11	10	95	52

International relationship

The Constitutional Council has been a member of the ACCPUF (Association of Constitutional Courts Using of French language) since 1998.

Since 2012, the Constitutional Council has been a member of bureau of the ACCPUF and treasurer since 2015.

Since 2014, the Constitutional Council has been a member of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice (WCCJ).

How to contact the Constitutional Council ?

* Spokesmen :

- H.E. Mr. TAING RATANA

Secretary General of the Constitutional Council
Tel : 012 577 122
E-mail :ratana.taing@gmail.com

- H.E. Mr. PROM VICHETH AKARA

Deputy Secretary General, Responsible of Legal and Technical Services
Tel : 012 633 933
E-mail :vichethakara_prom@yahoo.com

* Secretariat General :

- Secretary-General Tel : 012 577 122
- Deputy Secretary-General
• Responsible of Administration and Finance Tel : 092 655 558
• Responsible of Legal and Technical Services Tel: 012 633 933

Tel : (855) 23-720 912
Fax : (855) 23-726 031 / 23-720 912
E-mail :info@ccc.gov.kh
Website :http://www.ccc.gov.kh

* Published Documents :

• Constitution
• Bulletin of the decisions of the Constitutional Council
• Historical accounts and activities of the Constitutional Council
• Brochure in 3 languages of the Constitutional Council
• Review of the Constitutional Council
- This figure only until December, 2020