Document Type : Article

Authors

1 Assistant Prof., Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Judicial Sciences and ‎Administrative Services, Tehran, Iran‎

2 Assistant Prof., Department of Public Law, Faculty of Islamic Studies and Law, University of ‎Imam Sadiq, Tehran, Iran‎

Abstract

The possibility of amending the Constitution is a necessity to adapt the political system to contemporary requirements and to address inefficiencies. However, to prevent instability in the political system due to frequent and discretionary changes, the constitutional review process requires rigorous, complex, and specialized procedures. Article 177 of the Constitution establishes the formal mechanism for constitutional revision and the obligations governing it, assigning the specialized review of proposed amendments to the Constitutional Review Council. This paper aims, through an analytical approach, to outline the legal requirements governing the formation, administration, and functioning of the Constitutional Review Council, thereby providing the necessary legal framework for implementing Article 177 in future constitutional revisions. Among the findings of this study is that the Constitutional Review Council is an independent—not merely advisory—body, tasked solely with examining proposed amendments rather than approving them. The President is obligated to form the Council and manages it until the members appoint its chair. Assigning certain matters entirely to the ordinary legislature has been criticized. The Council is also subject to substantive, temporal, and material limitations.

Keywords

Main Subjects

  1. English

    Albert, Richard (2014). "The Structure of Constitutional Amendment Rules". Wake Forest Law Review, 49, 913-975.

    References In Persian:

    1. A) Books
    2. Amid Zanjani, A. (2017). Fundamental Laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Third Tehran: Majd Publication (In Persian).
    3. Anvari, H. (2016) (Supervised). Farhang Bozor Sokhan. 4th edition, Vol. 1. Tehran: Sokhan (In Persian).
    4. General Department of Cultural Affairs and Public Relations of the Islamic Council of Iran (1990). The Annotated Report of the Deliberations of the Constitutional Revision Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Second edition, volumes 2 and 3. Tehran: Islamic Consultative Assembly Printing House (In Persian).
    5. General Department of Cultural Affairs and Public Relations of the Islamic Council of Iran (1985). The Annotated Report of the Deliberations of the Council of the Final Review of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Vol. 1 and 2. Tehran: Islamic Consultative Assembly Printing House (In Persian).
    6. Hashemi, S. M. (2010). Constitutional Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Third edition, 2nd volume. Tehran: Dadgostar Publication (In Persian).
    7. Mehrpour, Hossein (2007). Summary of the Constitutional Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran. First edition. Tehran: Dadgostar Publication (In Persian).
    8. Moeen, M. (2008). Farhang Farsi. 25th edition, Vol. 1. Tehran: Amirkabir Publishing House (In Persian).
    9. Najafi Asfad, M., & Mohseni, F, (2016). Constitutional Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran. 4th edition. Tehran: Al-Hadi International Publication (In Persian).
    10. Qazi Shariat Panahi, S, A, (1996). Discourses in Public Law. Tehran: Dadgostar (In Persian).
    11. Vafadar, A, (2012). Constitutional Law and Political Developments. Third edition. Tehran: Fafadar Publication (In Persian).
    12. Yazdi, M, (1996). Constitution for All. First edition. Tehran: Amirkabir Publication (In Persian).

     

    1. B) Articles
    2. Abbasi, B, (2004). Distinction between the Constituent Powers and the Constituted Powers. Journal of Constitutional Law, 3, 91-104 (In Persian).
    3. Hashemi, S. M. (1990). Comparative and Thematic Review of the Revision of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Legal Research Magazine, 8, 228-151 (In Persian).
    4. Khalili, M. (2009). Comparison of the Revision of the Two Constitutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Matin Research Paper, 5 and 6 (In Persian).
    5. Malakutian, M., & Babapour, M. M. (2010). Revision of the Constitution: History, Necessities and Process of Formation to Legitimacy. Politics Quarterly, Journal of Faculty of Law and Political Science, 41(3), 305-319 (In Persian).
    6. Mansourian, M., & Ghamami, S. M. M. (2014). Ensuring the Limits of Constitutional Amendment by Reflecting on the Doctrine of Implicit Restrictions. Journal of Public Law Knowledge, 4(12), 111-128 (In Persian).
    7. Mansourian, M., & Ghamami, S. M. M. (2014). Amendment of the Constitution. Research Report of the Guardian Council Research Institute, 13940132 (In Persian).
    8. Taghizadeh, J., & Fadaei Joybari, M. (2012). Examination of Article 177 of the Constitution with Emphasis on the Deliberations of the Constitutional Revision Council. Journal of Legal Research, 63, 187-212 (In Persian).
    9. Tila, P. (2004). Theoretical Framework of Constitutional Revision. Journal of Constitutional Law, 5 (In Persian).

     

    1. C) Websites
    2. http://nazarat.shora-rc.ir (In Persian).
    3. http://maslahat.ir/ (In Persian).