Article 68 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
المادة 68 من النظام الأساسي للحكم · الباب السادس: سلطات الدولة
The Article provides for establishing a Shura Council whose law sets out its composition, powers and selection of members, and gives the King the power to dissolve it and reconstitute it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
ينشأ مجلس للشورى ، ويبين نظامه طريقة تكوينه، وكيفية ممارسته لاختصاصاته، واختيار أعضائه.
وللملك حل مجلس الشورى وإعادة تكوينه.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 68 explained in plain English
This Article contains two basic provisions:
- Establishing the Shura Council: the Article provides that a Shura Council is established, and refers to its law three matters: how it is formed, how it exercises its powers, and the selection of its members. The Article does not specify the number of members, their conditions or the Council's term; one refers in that to the Shura Council Law.
- Dissolving the Council and reconstituting it: the Article provides that the King may dissolve the Shura Council and reconstitute it. The Article does not mention conditions or procedures for that.
The Article is linked to Article 67, which provides that the regulatory authority is competent to make laws and regulations that serve the public interest or remove harm in accordance with the rules of Islamic Sharia, and exercises its powers in accordance with the Basic Law and the Council of Ministers Law and the Shura Council Law; the Shura Council Law referred to in Article 68 is among the laws in accordance with which the regulatory authority exercises its powers.
It is also linked to Article 69, which permits the King to call the Shura Council and the Council of Ministers to a joint meeting and to invite whomever he sees fit to attend it to discuss what he sees fit.
The Article is organizational and does not create direct obligations on individuals. Anyone who wants to know the details of the Council's work refers to the Shura Council Law, and may consult a lawyer who specializes in constitutional and administrative law.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 68 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance
Who dissolves the Shura Council in Saudi Arabia?
Article 68 provides that the King may dissolve the Shura Council and reconstitute it.
How are the members of the Shura Council selected?
The Article refers that to the Shura Council Law, which sets out how it is formed and how its members are selected.
Where do I find the powers of the Shura Council?
The Article provides that the Shura Council Law sets out how it exercises its powers.
More articles on Shura Council and Issuing Laws
- Article 44
The Article sets out the State's three authorities, the judicial, executive and regulatory, provides that they cooperate in accordance with the laws, and states that the King is their reference.
تتكون السلطات في الدولة من : - السلطة القضائية. - السلطة التنفيذية. - السلطة التنظيمية. وتتعاون هذه السلطات في أداء وظائفها، وفقا لهذا النظام وغيره من الأنظمة،
- Article 67
The Article defines the regulatory authority's competence to make laws and regulations that serve the public interest or remove harm in State affairs, in accordance with the rules of Islamic Sharia.
تختص السلطة التنظيمية بوضع الأنظمة واللوائح، فيما يحقق المصلحة، أو يرفع المفسدة في شئون الدولة، وفقا لقواعد الشريعة الإسلامية ، وتمارس اختصاصاتها وفقا لهذا النظ
- Article 69
The Article permits the King to call the Shura Council and the Council of Ministers to a joint meeting, and to invite whomever he sees fit to attend it to discuss what he sees fit.
للملك أن يدعو مجلس الشورى ، ومجلس الوزراء ، إلى اجتماع مشترك، وله أن يدعو من يراه لحضور هذا الاجتماع لمناقشة ما يراه من أمور.
- Article 70
The Article provides that laws, treaties, international agreements and concessions are issued and amended by royal decrees.
تصدر الأنظمة ، والمعاهدات ، والاتفاقيات الدولية ، والامتيازات ، ويتم تعديلها بموجب مراسيم ملكية .
- Article 71
The Article requires laws to be published in the Official Gazette and makes them effective from the date of publication unless another date is specified.
تنشر الأنظمة في الجريدة الرسمية، وتكون نافذة المفعول من تاريخ نشرها، ما لم ينص على تاريخ آخر.
- Article 83
The article provides that the Basic Law of Governance may be amended only in the same way in which it was issued.
لايجري تعديل هذا النظام إلا بنفس الطريقة التي تم بها إصداره.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.