Article 21 of the Saudi Municipalities Law
المادة 21 من نظام البلديات والقرى
The municipal council may form committees from some of its members to look into particular cases, with the result submitted to the council so that it takes the necessary decision.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز للمجلس تشكيل لجان من بعض أعضائه للنظر في قضايا معينة، ورفع النتيجة فيها إلى المجلس لاتخاذ القرار اللازم.
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 lets the municipal council distribute work to committees, with the following controls:
- Permissive: forming committees is something the council may do, not a duty.
- From the members: a committee consists of some of the council's members; the text does not mention adding people from outside to its membership.
- For particular cases: a committee is formed to look into specific cases, not to take over the work of the whole council.
- Its role is study, not decision: the committee submits the result to the council, and the decision remains with the council itself.
A committee is thus a tool for studying a particular subject in more depth and easing the council's work, but it does not replace the council in taking the decision. This means that what the committee concludes remains a recommendation until the council approves it.
When the committee submits its result, the council takes its decision under Article 20: by a majority of the votes of the members present, with the vote of the chairman, or of the deputy in the chairman's absence, tipping the balance in a tie, by open voting that may be secret in some important cases.
It is followed by Article 22, which refers to the Implementing Regulations the internal working procedures of the council, recording its minutes and drafting its decisions; the details of committee work, such as the number of its members or its duration, are not set by this text.
Practical example
A municipal council in Hafar Al-Batin is studying residents' complaints about congestion in the vegetable market, and forms a committee of 3 members to visit the market and study solutions. The committee submits its results to the council, and then the council votes on the appropriate decision.
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 Municipalities Law
May the municipal council form committees?
Yes, it may form committees from some of its members to look into particular cases.
Do municipal council committees have the power to issue decisions?
No. The committee submits the result to the council so that it takes the necessary decision.
More articles on Municipal Council Meetings and Decisions
- Article 15
The municipal council meets at least once a month on an invitation that includes an agenda, a member's written request made 4 days ahead must be added to it, and the council may not discuss items not on the agenda.
يجتمع المجلس البلدي في المكان المخصص له مرة في الشهر على الأقل بناء على دعوة رئيسه أو نائبه في حال غيابه، ويجب أن تشتمل الدعوة على جدول الأعمال، وعلى الرئيس أو
- Article 16
The chairman of the municipal council may call an emergency session, and must if most members ask; it is held within two days of the request arriving and discusses only its own matters.
يجوز لرئيس المجلس البلدي دعوة المجلس لعقد جلسة طارئة كلما رأى ضرورة لذلك، وعلى الرئيس دعوة المجلس لجلسة طارئة إذا طلب منه ذلك أكثر أعضاء المجلس، وتعقد الجلسة خل
- Article 17
The chairman or any member of the municipal council must leave the session when a case relating to a private interest of theirs is discussed, and the council decides by secret ballot in their absence.
على رئيس المجلس أو أي عضو من أعضائه مغادرة الجلسة في كل مرة يبحث فيها المجلس قضية تتعلق بصورة مباشرة أو غير مباشرة بمصلحة خاصة له، وعلى المجلس أن يتخذ القرار با
- Article 18
Municipal council sessions are confidential, and the council may invite anyone whose presence it finds useful to attend, without a right to vote.
جلسات المجلس البلدي سرية، وللمجلس أن يدعو لحضور جلسات المجلس أي شخص يرى فائدة في حضوره، دون أن يكون له حق التصويت.
- Article 19
Municipal council sessions are not valid unless a majority of the members attend.
لا تعتبر جلسات المجلس البلدي نظامية إلا بحضور الأغلبية للأعضاء.
- Article 20
The municipal council takes decisions by a majority of those present, the chairman's or deputy's vote tips a tie, and voting is open but may be secret in important cases.
أ - يتخذ المجلس البلدي قراراته بأكثرية أصوات أعضائه الحاضرين، وفي حالة التساوي يكون صوت الرئيس أو نائبه في حال غيابه مرجحا. ب - يجرى التصويت بطريقة الاقتراع الع
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.