Durup & Ors v Brassel & Anor (5 of 2012) [2013] SCCC 6 (28 May 2013)

THE REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES

IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF SEYCHELLES

[Before: Egonda-Ntende, CJ., Burhan and Robinson, JJ]

CONSTITUTIONAL CASE NO. 05 OF 2011

[Arising from Supreme Court Civil Suit No. 113 of 2011]

Achilla Durup==============================================1^st Plaintiff

Josette Oshen==============================================2^nd Plaintiff

Marie Luce Georges=========================================3^rd Plaintiff

Hubert Savy===============================================4^th Plaintiff

Versus

Josepha Brassel=============================================1^st Defendant

James Savy================================================2^nd Defendant

ON REFERENCE MADE UNDER ARTICLE 46 (7) OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES

Heard: 26^th March 2013

Counsel: Basil Hoareau for the Plaintiffs

Pesi Pardiwalla for Defendant No.1

Alexandra Madeleine, Assistant Principal State Counsel, for the Attorney

General

Delivered: 28^th May 2013

Egonda-Ntende, CJ

1. I have had the opportunity to read in draft the Judgment of my sister, Robinson, J. I agree that the impugned provision, article 913 of the Civil Code of Seychelles is not unconstitutional for the reasons set out in her judgment.

2. I wish to add that the changes that Mr Pesi Pardiwalla pressed upon this court with regard to the law of succession should be best considered in the current exercise of revision of the Civil Code of Seychelles and be placed before the legislature for a decision. In my view it is more aptly within the province of the legislature than that of constitutional adjudication.

Signed, dated and delivered at Victoria this 28^th day of May 2013

FMS Egonda-Ntende

Chief Justice