Article 10 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 10 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الأول: الأقدمية
The article provides that the seniority of an officer appointed to a rank above second lieutenant is counted from the date his appointment begins, and if it equals the date his colleagues were promoted to that rank, he is placed last among them on the seniority list.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا عين الضباط برتبة أعلى من رتبة ملازم فتعتبر أقدميته في تلك الرتبة وفقاً لتاريخ بدء تعيينه وإذا تساوى تاريخ تعيينه مع تاريخ ترقية بعض زملائه لهذه الرتبة وضع في كشف الأقدمية آخرهم.
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 deals with a special case in seniority, namely the direct appointment of an officer to a rank above second lieutenant. It contains two rules:
First: the start of seniority. The officer's seniority in the rank to which he was appointed is considered according to the date his appointment begins. No seniority before the date of appointment in that rank is counted to him under this article.
Second: where dates are equal. If the date of his appointment equals the date some of his colleagues were promoted to the same rank, he is placed last among them on the seniority list.
In practical terms, an officer who enters service directly at a higher rank does not come ahead of those who reached that rank by promotion on the same day; he comes after them in the order.
The article does not address the cases in which appointment to a rank above second lieutenant is permitted or their conditions; it assumes that such an appointment occurs and governs only its seniority. Anyone who believes his position on the seniority list was not determined under this rule may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and military service matters.
Practical example
Dr. Majed was appointed an officer with the rank of captain on the first of Muharram, and on the same day three officers were promoted to captain. Majed's seniority in the rank begins from the date of his appointment, and because his date equals the date of their promotion, he is placed after them on the seniority list.
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 Officers Service Law
From when does the seniority of an officer appointed to a rank above second lieutenant begin?
His seniority in that rank is considered according to the date his appointment begins.
What if the appointment date equals the date his colleagues were promoted?
The appointed officer is placed last on the seniority list among his colleagues who were promoted to that rank on the same date.
More articles on Officer Seniority and Efficiency Reports
- Article 7
For graduates of colleges and institutes under paragraphs (b) and (c) of Article 6, the article counts study years beyond three as seniority, and requires paragraph (c) graduates to pass a military course to continue.
بالنسبة للمتخرج من الكليات والمعاهد المنصوص عليها في الفقرتين (ب،ج) من المادة السادسة إذا كانت سنوات الدراسة المقررة للكلية أو المعهد تزيد على ثلاث سنوات فتحتسب
- Article 9
The article provides for general seniority lists of officers for each force, ratified by the Chief of the General Staff, ordered by date of rank grant, then graduation grade, then what the Officers Committee decides.
توضع كشوفات عامة بأقدمية الضباط لكل قوة من القوات المسلحة تصدق من قبل رئيس هيئة الأركان العامة. ويراعى في ترتيب الأقدمية تاريخ منح الرتبة ثم درجة التخرج من الكل
- Article 12
The article provides that the Officers Affairs Department opens a service file and a confidential file for each officer on appointment, and the Supreme Officers Committee issues regulations governing the files and the preparation of efficiency reports.
تفتح إدارة شئون الضباط لكل ضابط عند تعيينه ملفين ويسمى أحدهما ملف الخدمة وتوضع فيه كل الأوراق والبيانات المتعلقة بخدمة الضابط. ويسمى الثاني الملف السري وتودع في
- Article 13
The article sets the schedule for officers' efficiency reports, and postpones the promotion of an officer under investigation or trial until the final judgment, restoring his seniority if he is acquitted.
يخضع الضباط لتقارير الكفاءة التالية :- أ- يعد تقرير كفاءة كل ستة أشهر لكل ملازم تحت الاختبار. ب- يعد تقرير كفاءة كل سنة من رتبة ملازم أول إلى رتبة عميد. ج- يعد
- Article 14
The article requires the officer to be informed of the content of an unsatisfactory report and to sign that he has seen it, gives him the right to object to the Officers Committee through his superior within two weeks, and makes the Committee's recommendations final once ratified.
يبلغ الضابط من قبل قائده الذي كتب عنه تقريراً غير مرض بمضمون ذلك التقرير ويوقع بالاطلاع وله الحق في تقديم اعتراضه على كل أو بعض ما ورد بالتقرير إلى لجنة الضباط
- Article 135
The article requires officers' committees to base their recommendations on the reports and information deposited in the officer's file.
تبني لجان الضباط توصياتها على ضوء التقارير والمعلومات المودعة في ملف الضابط.
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.