Article 29 of the Saudi Enforcement Law before the Board of Grievances
المادة 29 من نظام التنفيذ أمام ديوان المظالم · الباب الثالث: منازعات التنفيذ والدعاوى الناشئة عنه
The article allows the Enforcement Circuit to rule that enforcement of an instrument has become impossible for any reason, and provides that lack of appropriations or posts in the administrative body's budget is not impossibility.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا تبين لدائرة التنفيذ أن تنفيذ السند أصبح متعذرًا لأي سبب فإنها تحكم بإثبات ذلك، ولا يعد من حالات تعذر التنفيذ عدم توفر الاعتمادات أو الوظائف في ميزانية الجهة الإدارية المنفذ ضدها.
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 29 explained in plain English
This article deals with impossibility of enforcement, and at the same time provides an important protection for holders of judgments against administrative bodies:
- Ruling that enforcement is impossible: if it appears to the Enforcement Circuit that enforcing the instrument has become impossible for any reason, it rules to establish this.
- What does not count as impossibility: lack of appropriations or lack of posts in the budget of the administrative body against which enforcement is sought does not count as a case of impossibility of enforcement.
The practical importance of the second part is great: the administrative body cannot argue that "there is no budget" or "there is no vacant post" to avoid enforcing the judgment, because under the text of the Law these reasons do not make enforcement impossible.
The article does not specify any further effects of the ruling establishing impossibility, so nothing is to be assumed that the text does not state.
It is preceded by Article 28, which allows enforcement to be suspended for an ambiguous judgment until it is interpreted. It is followed by Article 30, which punishes a public employee who uses his influence to prevent enforcement with imprisonment for a period not exceeding 7 years and a fine not exceeding SAR 700,000, or either, and one who deliberately refrains from enforcement 8 days after being notified of the notice, where enforcement falls within his competence, with imprisonment for a period not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding SAR 500,000, or either.
If you have a specific situation, it is best to consult a lawyer specialized in administrative and enforcement cases before the Board of Grievances.
Practical example
A judgment was issued appointing a citizen to a post in a government body, and the body argued that there was no vacant post in its budget. Under this article, lack of posts in the budget is not a case of impossibility of enforcement.
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 29 of the Saudi Enforcement Law before the Board of Grievances
Can a government body refuse to enforce because it has no budget?
No. Lack of appropriations or posts in the budget of the administrative body against which enforcement is sought is not a case of impossibility of enforcement.
What does the court do if enforcement becomes impossible?
If it appears to the Enforcement Circuit that enforcing the instrument has become impossible for any reason, it rules to establish this.
Is the lack of a vacant post impossibility of enforcement?
No. The article provides that lack of posts in the administrative body's budget is not a case of impossibility.
More articles on Enforcement Disputes and Stay of Enforcement
- Article 1
The article defines the key terms used in the Enforcement Law before the Board of Grievances, such as the Court, the instrument and the enforcement dispute.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتضِ السياق خلاف ذلك: 1- النظام: نظام التنفيذ أمام ديوان المظالم.
- Article 25
The article allows any interested person, among the parties to enforcement or others, to file an enforcement dispute by a statement of claim lodged with the competent court under the procedures for filing a lawsuit, and sets out its contents.
ترفع منازعة التنفيذ -من كل ذي مصلحة من أطراف التنفيذ أو غيرهم- بصحيفة تودع لدى المحكمة المختصة وفق الإجراءات المعتادة لرفع الدعوى، على أن تتضمن الصحيفة بيانات ا
- Article 26
The article requires an enforcement dispute to be heard expeditiously, subjects a provisional request to suspend or continue enforcement to the rules on urgent lawsuits, and makes a judgment suspending enforcement stop all procedures and time limits.
1- تنظر منازعة التنفيذ على وجه السرعة، وإذا تضمنت طلباً وقتيًا بوقف التنفيذ أو الاستمرار فيه فيخضع للأحكام المنظمة للدعاوى المستعجلة. 2- يترتب على الحكم بوقف ال
- Article 27
The article prevents an enforcement dispute from including an objection to the judgment whose enforcement is disputed, and stops procedures, time limits and the admission of new requests if the objection court orders enforcement suspended.
1- لا يجوز أن تتضمن منازعة التنفيذ اعتراضاً على الحكم المتنازع في تنفيذه. 2- يترتب على صدور أمر بوقف التنفيذ من المحكمة المختصة بنظر الاعتراض على الحكم توقف جمي
- Article 28
The article allows enforcement to be suspended where ambiguity or confusion in the judgment prevents its enforcement, until its interpretation is decided, and gives fifteen days from notice of the suspension order to request interpretation.
1- لأي من أطراف التنفيذ أو المنازعة أن يطلب من دائرة التنفيذ وقف التنفيذ عند وجود غموض أو لبس في الحكم محل الطلب أو المنازعة يحول دون تنفيذه، وللدائرة أن تأمر ب
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.