Article 25 of the Saudi Provinces Law
المادة 25 من نظام المناطق
The article bars the Provincial Council from considering any subject outside its set competences, makes its decisions void if it exceeds them, and has the Minister of Interior issue a decision to that effect.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يحظر على مجلس المنطقة النظر في أي موضوع يخرج عن الاختصاصات المقررة له حسب هذا النظام، وتكون قراراته باطلة إذا تجاوز ذلك، ويصدر وزير الداخلية قرارا بذلك.
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 25 explained in plain English
This article sets a limit on the powers of the Provincial Council:
- The bar: the council is barred from considering any subject outside the competences set for it under this Law.
- The consequence: its decisions are void if it exceeds them.
- The instrument: the Minister of Interior issues a decision to that effect.
The test is the competences set out in this Law; what the Law has not given to the council, it may not consider. The bar covers merely considering the subject, not only issuing a decision.
This article follows Article 24, which makes it one of the council's tasks to propose any public-benefit work for the province's citizens, encourage citizens' contribution to it, and submit it to the Minister of Interior. That is one of the set competences within which the council works.
It is followed by Article 26, which regulates the council's sessions: an ordinary session every three months on the call of its chair; the chair may call an extraordinary meeting if he sees a need; and a session may not be closed until all matters on the agenda have been considered and discussed.
The evident purpose of this article is to prevent the council's competences from overlapping with those of other authorities. Anyone affected by a decision they believe was issued outside the council's competence can consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases.
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 25 of the Saudi Provinces Law
What happens if the Provincial Council exceeds its competence?
Its decisions are void, and the Minister of Interior issues a decision to that effect.
May the Provincial Council discuss a subject outside its competence?
No. It is barred from considering any subject outside the competences set for it under the Law.
More articles on Powers of the Regional Council
- Article 23
The article gives the Provincial Council competence to study everything that raises the level of services, including identifying needs, prioritizing projects, studying master plans, and following up implementation of the plan and budget.
يختص مجلس المنطقة بدراسة كل ما من شأنه رفع مستوى الخدمات في المنطقة، وله على وجه الخصوص ما يلي: أ - تحديد احتياجات المنطقة، واقتراح إدراجها في خطة التنمية للدول
- Article 24
The article tasks the Provincial Council with proposing any public-benefit work for the province's citizens, encouraging citizens' contribution to it, and submitting it to the Minister of Interior.
يقوم مجلس المنطقة باقتراح أى عمل من أعمال النفع العام لمواطني المنطقة، وتشجيع إسهام المواطنين في ذلك، ورفعه إلى وزير الداخلية.
- Article 34
The article requires government bodies to take into account the Provincial Council's decisions on development needs and project priorities, and regulates what happens if a body sees fit not to act on them.
على الوزارات والمصالح الحكومية أن تراعي قرارات مجلس المنطقة بالنسبة لما ورد في الفقرتين (أ، ب) من المادة الثالثة والعشرين من هذا النظام. وإذا رأت الوزارة أو الم
- Article 36
The article permits every minister and agency head to seek the Provincial Council's opinion on subjects within his competence in the province, and requires the council to give its opinion.
لكل وزير و رئيس مصلحة أن يستطلع رأي مجلس المنطقة، حول أي موضوع يتعلق باختصاصه في المنطقة، وعلى المجلس إبداء رأيه في ذلك.
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.