Article 18 of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Law
المادة 18 من نظام الغرف التجارية · الفصل الثاني: الأجهزة الإدارية للغرفة
The eighteenth article regulates filling a vacated seat on the Chamber's board by appointing the highest-polling candidate among those who did not win, or by the Minister appointing a replacement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا خلا محل عضو منتخب في مجلس إدارة الغرفة لأي من الأسباب المنصوص عليها في المادة (السابعة عشرة) من النظام، يعين بقرار من الوزير المترشح الحائز على أكثر الأصوات من غير الفائزين، فإن لم يوجد فيعين الوزير من بين المشتركين في الغرفة من تتوافر فيه الشروط المحددة في المادة (السادسة عشرة) من النظام ليحل محل ذلك العضو حتى تاريخ انتهاء دورة مجلس إدارة الغرفة. وإذا كان ذلك العضو أحد الأعضاء المعينين من قبل الوزير، فيعين الوزير بديلاً عنه.
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 18 explained in plain English
This article answers the question: what happens to a member's seat once it is vacant? It distinguishes between an elected member and an appointed member.
First: if the member was elected
- The Minister appoints by decision the candidate who obtained the most votes among those who did not win the election.
- If there is no such candidate, the Minister appoints from among the Chamber's subscribers someone who meets the conditions of Article 16.
- The replacement fills the seat only until the end of the board's term, not for a whole new term.
Second: if the member was appointed by the Minister
- The Minister appoints a replacement for him.
Reasons for the seat becoming vacant: The article refers to the reasons in Article 17, which are death, resignation (which includes absence from 3 consecutive or 6 separate meetings without an excuse accepted by the Chamber's president), incapacity to carry out the tasks, and losing any condition of Article 16.
Conditions for the replacement: When appointing from among the subscribers, the conditions of Article 16 must be met, including experience (10 years, or 5 for a bachelor's degree holder), a commercial register valid for the last three years with the subscription paid, no judgment for an offense involving dishonor or breach of trust unless rehabilitated, no membership of another chamber's board, and submitting a declaration of commitment.
In this way the law ensures the board stays complete throughout its term, while respecting the election result by giving priority to whoever obtained the most votes after the winners.
Practical example
An elected member of the Medina chamber resigned two years after the term began. Naif had obtained the most votes among those who did not win in the election, so the Minister issues a decision appointing him to the vacant seat until the end of the current board's term.
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 18 of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Law
Who takes the place of an elected chamber of commerce member who resigns?
The Minister appoints the candidate who obtained the most votes among those who did not win, and if there is none he appoints from the subscribers who meet the conditions of Article 16.
How long does the replacement member serve on the chamber board?
He takes the former member's place until the end of the chamber board's term.
What if the member whose seat became vacant was appointed by the Minister?
The Minister appoints a replacement for him.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 17
The seventeenth article sets the cases of losing membership of the Chamber's board: death, resignation, repeated absence, incapacity and losing membership conditions, with an 8-year bar on standing in one case.
يفقد العضو عضويته في مجلس إدارة الغرفة في الحالات الآتية: 1- الوفاة. 2- الاستقالة، ويعد في حكم المستقيل كل من تغيب -خلال فترة عضويته- عن حضور ثلاثة اجتماعات متت
- Article 16
The sixteenth article sets six conditions that an appointed member or a candidate for the Chamber's board must meet, including experience, a valid commercial register, good conduct and not holding membership of two chambers.
يُشترط في العضو المعين أو المترشح لمجلس إدارة الغرفة أن تتوافر فيه الشروط الآتية: 1- أن تكون لديه خبرة لا تقل عن (عشر) سنوات، ولا تقل عن (خمس) سنوات إذا كان حاص
More articles on Conditions for Chamber Board Membership
- Article 12
The twelfth article refers board election procedures to the Implementing Regulations, bars electing more than one member from a single establishment, removes any financial pay for a member, and limits candidacy to two consecutive terms.
1- تُحدد اللائحة إجراءات الترشح والانتخاب بما في ذلك ضوابط الانتخاب الفردي وانتخاب المجموعات، وإجراءات الاقتراع والاعتراض والطعن، وتشكيل لجان الإشراف على الانتخ
- Article 15
The fifteenth article provides that the first deputy takes the Chamber president's place with full powers when he is absent or loses membership, then the second deputy when both are absent or lose membership.
يقوم النائب الأول لرئيس الغرفة مقام الرئيس، وتكون له جميع صلاحياته ويمارس جميع مهماته عند غيابه أو فقده عضوية مجلس إدارة الغرفة وفقًا للمادة (السابعة عشرة) من ا
- Article 16
The sixteenth article sets six conditions that an appointed member or a candidate for the Chamber's board must meet, including experience, a valid commercial register, good conduct and not holding membership of two chambers.
يُشترط في العضو المعين أو المترشح لمجلس إدارة الغرفة أن تتوافر فيه الشروط الآتية: 1- أن تكون لديه خبرة لا تقل عن (عشر) سنوات، ولا تقل عن (خمس) سنوات إذا كان حاص
- Article 17
The seventeenth article sets the cases of losing membership of the Chamber's board: death, resignation, repeated absence, incapacity and losing membership conditions, with an 8-year bar on standing in one case.
يفقد العضو عضويته في مجلس إدارة الغرفة في الحالات الآتية: 1- الوفاة. 2- الاستقالة، ويعد في حكم المستقيل كل من تغيب -خلال فترة عضويته- عن حضور ثلاثة اجتماعات متت
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.