Article 21 of the Saudi Council of Ministers Law
المادة 21 من نظام مجلس الوزراء
Article 21 provides that the Council of Ministers studies draft laws and regulations and votes on them article by article and then as a whole, under the procedures in its internal rules.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يدرس مجلس الوزراء مشروعات الأنظمة واللوائح المعروضة عليه ويصوت عليها مادة مادة ثم يصوت عليها بالجملة وذلك حسب الإجراءات المرسومة في النظام الداخلي للمجلس.
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 21 explained in plain English
This article explains how the Council of Ministers deals with draft laws and regulations put before it, in two stages:
- Study: the Council studies the draft put before it.
- Voting in two stages: first it votes on the draft article by article, then votes on it as a whole, that is, on the complete draft.
This method ensures that each article is discussed separately before the whole draft is approved. The details of the procedures follow what is set out in the Council's internal rules, and the article does not state them.
The provision covers both laws and regulations, whenever their drafts are put before the Council.
This article is linked to Article 20, which provides that laws, treaties, international agreements and concessions are issued and amended by royal decrees after being studied by the Council of Ministers, subject to the Shura Council Law; Article 21 details the method of study and voting within the Council. It is also linked to Article 22, which gives every minister the right to propose a draft law or regulation concerning his ministry's work, and allows every member to propose what he sees as worth discussing after the Prime Minister's approval; the proposal comes before presentation, then study and voting follow under Article 21.
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 21 of the Saudi Council of Ministers Law
How does the Council of Ministers vote on a draft law?
It votes on it article by article, then as a whole, under the procedures set out in the Council's internal rules.
Does Article 21 cover regulations too?
Yes, it speaks of draft laws and regulations put before the Council.
Where are the details of the voting procedures?
In the Council of Ministers' internal rules, as Article 21 refers.
More articles on Regulatory Powers of the Council of Ministers
- Article 19
Article 19 states that the Council of Ministers draws up State policy in all fields and oversees its implementation, considers Shura Council resolutions, and holds executive authority and financial and administrative authority over government bodies.
مع مراعاة ما ورد في النظام الأساسي للحكم ونظام مجلس الشورى يرسم مجلس الوزراء السياسة الداخلية والخارجية والمالية والاقتصادية والتعليمية والدفاعية وجميع الشؤون ا
- Article 20
Article 20 states that laws, treaties, international agreements and concessions are issued and amended by royal decrees after being studied by the Council of Ministers, subject to the Shura Council Law.
مع مراعاة ما ورد في نظام مجلس الشورى، تصدر الأنظمة، والمعاهدات، والاتفاقيات الدولية والامتيازات، وتعدل بموجب مراسيم ملكية بعد دراستها من مجلس الوزراء.
- 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
- Article 23
Article 23 requires all decrees to be published in the Official Gazette and makes them effective from the date of publication unless another date is specified.
يجب نشر جميع المراسيم في الجريدة الرسمية، وتكون نافذة المفعول من تاريخ نشرها ما لم ينص على تاريخ آخر.
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.