Article 10 of the Saudi Council of Ministers Law
المادة 10 من نظام مجلس الوزراء
Article 10 makes the minister the direct head and final authority for the affairs of his ministry, exercising his work under this Law and other laws and regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعتبر الوزير هو الرئيس المباشر والمرجع النهائي لشئون وزارته ويمارس أعماله وفق أحكام هذا النظام والأنظمة واللوائح الأخرى.
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 10 explained in plain English
This article defines the minister's position within his ministry by two descriptions:
- Direct head of the affairs of his ministry: that is, he stands at the head of the ministry's administrative hierarchy.
- Final authority for the affairs of his ministry: that is, the ministry's affairs end with him within the ministry.
But this authority is limited by the article's own text: the minister exercises his work under the provisions of the Law of the Council of Ministers and other laws and regulations. The status of "final authority" does not mean his power is absolute; it is power that operates within the limits of the laws.
Article 11 complements this provision by stating who takes the minister's place: deputizing for him in the Council of Ministers is done only by another minister by order of the Prime Minister, and the deputy minister exercises his powers in his absence. The ministry's affairs therefore do not stop when the minister is absent.
The scope of this status is specifically the affairs of his ministry; the article gives the minister no authority over the affairs of other ministries.
Anyone who has a matter with a ministry and wants to know the proper legal route for his case should consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and government regulations.
Practical example
Khalid submitted a request to one of a ministry's departments and wanted to know who has the final say in the ministry's affairs. Article 10 shows that the minister is the direct head and final authority for the affairs of his ministry, and that he exercises this under the laws and regulations.
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 10 of the Saudi Council of Ministers Law
Who is the final authority for a ministry's affairs?
The minister, under Article 10, and he is also the direct head of its affairs.
Is a minister's authority absolute within his ministry?
No, the article provides that he exercises his work under the provisions of the Law of the Council of Ministers and other laws and regulations.
Who exercises the minister's powers when he is absent?
Article 11 provides that the deputy minister exercises the minister's powers in his absence.
More articles on Minister's Powers and Deputizing
- Article 11
Article 11 limits deputizing for a minister in the Council of Ministers to another minister by order of the Prime Minister, and has the deputy minister exercise the minister's powers in his absence.
أ - النيابة عن الوزير في مجلس الوزراء لا تكون إلا لوزير آخر وبموجب أمر يصدر من رئيس مجلس الوزراء . ب - يتولى نائب الوزير ممارسة صلاحيات الوزير في حالة غيابه.
- Article 15
Article 15 bars the Council of Ministers from deciding a matter concerning a ministry's work except in the presence of its minister or his deputy, unless necessity requires otherwise.
لا يتخذ مجلس الوزراء قرارا في موضوع خاص بأعمال وزارة من الوزارات إلا بحضور وزيرها أو من ينوب عنه ما لم تدع الضرورة لذلك.
- Article 22
Article 22 gives every minister the right to propose a draft law or regulation concerning his ministry's work, and lets every member propose what he sees as worth discussing in the Council with the Prime Minister's approval.
لكل وزير الحق بأن يقترح مشروع نظام أو لائحة يتعلق بأعمال وزارته. كما يحق لكل عضو من أعضاء مجلس الوزراء أن يقترح ما يرى مصلحة من بحثه في المجلس بعد موافقة رئيس م
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.