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Legal
In
Mauritius, the Judiciary is vested with all the powers to administer
justice. In line with the constitution which makes provision for an
independent judiciary based on the concept of the separation of
powers, the judiciary in Mauritius is independent of the other two
organisms of the State - the Executive and the Legislature. The
independence of the judiciary empowers the courts to uphold the rule
of law and to act as guardians of the fundamental rights of the
citizens entrenched in the constitution. The Chief Justice is the
head of the judiciary. The Courts exercising jurisdiction in
Mauritius are: The Supreme Court, The Intermediate Court, The
Industrial Court, The District Courts and The Court of
Rodrigues.
Regulatory Bodies 10
Mauritius
has a well-developed, stable and transparent regulatory
framework based on international standards. There are various
bodies that monitor and regulate a variety of sectors including
business, government, banking, finance, taxation, shipping,
insurance, employment, rights and intellectual property.
The
bodies and agencies that regulate government include the
Independent Commission against Corruption (ICAC) that
investigates allegations of corruption, including money
laundering, and the Ombudsman’s Office that addresses complaints
of maladministration against Ministries/Government Departments
and local and regional authorities.
Agencies that protect
the rights of citizens and workers include: the National Human
Rights Commission; the Equal Opportunities Commission; and the
Employment Relations Tribunal among others.
Legal System 2
In
the legal system of Mauritius the Supreme Court is the highest
court and is composed of the Court of Civil Appeal and the Court
of Criminal Appeal, with a chief justice, a senior judge and 17
judges. They have unlimited jurisdiction to hear and determine
any civil or criminal proceedings, and it has original
jurisdiction in the interpretation of the constitution, and in
the most serious criminal cases, when it sits with judge and
jury.
The Intermediate Court and District Court are both magistrates’ courts located throughout the island with jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases. The Industrial (magistrates’) Court deals with employment issues. Appeals from lower courts are heard in the Civil or Criminal (Supreme) Appeal Court. The Privy Council in the UK is the final court of appeal.