The Head of State receives the Chairperson of the Constitutional Court Elvira Azimova

During the meeting, it was reported that the Constitutional Court received over five thousand appeals last year, with 99 percent being submitted by citizens. Elvira Azimova highlighted that these appeals covered a range of topics, including questions about judicial rulings, the legality of officials' and judges' actions, the types and conditions of criminal punishment, the protection of rights in labor and administrative law matters.

The fundamental principle adopted by all states with constitutional courts is to ensure unfettered access to constitutional justice for citizens and to remove financial barriers. Consequently, in December 2023, the Head of State signed a law that reduces the state fee for applying to the Constitutional Court to zero rate.

Kasym-Jomart Tokayev was informed on the current deliberations within the Mazhilis of Parliament regarding proposals for providing citizens with guaranteed legal assistance in constitutional proceedings. The discussion also involves considerations of decisions made by the Constitutional Court and reviews of judicial practices in legal monitoring and rule-making activities.

The President was further informed that 558 legal norms underwent scrutiny last year, leading to recommendations for amendments to 29 legal acts. The Constitutional Court specifically recommended revisions to certain provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, the Tax Code, and several other laws. Currently, the government and authorized bodies have implemented over 16 percent of these recommendations.

Emphasizing the significance of the Constitutional Court's work in 2023, the President underscored that its establishment and operations align with societal and state needs, ensuring the primacy of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms.