Article 26 of the Saudi Provinces Law
المادة 26 من نظام المناطق
The article requires the Provincial Council to hold an ordinary session every three months on its chair's call, permits an extraordinary meeting, and bars closing a session before the whole agenda is discussed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعقد مجلس المنطقة دورة عادية كل ثلاثة أشهر بدعوة من رئيسه، وللرئيس أن يدعو المجلس لاجتماع غير عادي، إذا رأى حاجة لذلك.
وتشمل الدورة الجلسة، أو الجلسات التي تعقد بناء على دعوة واحدة، ولا يجوز فض الدورة إلا بعد النظر في جميع المسائل الواردة في جدول الأعمال ومناقشتها.
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 26 explained in plain English
This article regulates the convening of the Provincial Council:
1. The ordinary session:
- The council holds an ordinary session every three months.
- It is held on the call of its chair, who is the emir of the province.
2. The extraordinary meeting: the chair may call the council to an extraordinary meeting if he sees a need for it, which is a discretionary power of the chair.
3. The meaning of a session: a session includes the sitting or sittings held on a single call. A single session may therefore extend over several sittings.
4. Closing the session: a session may not be closed until all matters on the agenda have been considered and discussed. This ensures that listed subjects are not left unconsidered.
This article follows Article 25, which bars the council from considering any subject outside its competences and makes its decisions void if it does so. It is followed by Article 27, which makes attending meetings a duty of office for the members specified in items (c) and (d) of Article 16, and makes the absence of the member specified in item (e) from two consecutive sessions without an acceptable excuse a ground for dismissal.
Anyone who needs to understand how the council works 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 26 of the Saudi Provinces Law
How often does the Provincial Council meet?
It holds an ordinary session every three months on the call of its chair, and the chair may call an extraordinary meeting if he sees a need.
Can the council's session be ended before all subjects are discussed?
No. A session may not be closed until all matters on the agenda have been considered and discussed.
More articles on Regional Council Meetings and Decisions
- Article 18
The article gives a Provincial Council member the right to submit written proposals to the council chair on matters within its competence, which the chair includes in the agenda for study.
للعضو أن يقدم اقتراحات إلى رئيس مجلس المنطقة كتابة، وذلك في الأمور الداخلة في اختصاص المجلس، ويدرج الرئيس كل اقتراح في جدول أعمال المجلس لعرضه ودراسته.
- Article 27
The article makes attending council meetings a duty of office for the emirate's deputy and heads of bodies, and makes an appointed member's absence from two consecutive sessions without excuse a ground for dismissal and a two-year bar on reappointment.
يعتبر حضور اجتماعات مجلس المنطقة واجبا وظيفيا بالنسبة للأعضاء المنصوص عليهم في الفقرتين (ج، د) من المادة السادسة عشرة من هذا النظام، ويتعين عليهم الحضور بأنفسهم
- Article 28
The article requires the attendance of at least two-thirds of the Provincial Council's members for its meetings to be valid, with decisions issued by an absolute majority and the chair's side prevailing in a tie.
لا تكون اجتماعات مجلس المنطقة نظامية إلا إذا حضرها ثلثا عدد أعضائه على الأقل، وتصدر قراراته بالأغلبية المطلقة لأصوات أعضاء المجلس، فإذا تساوت الأصوات يرجح الجان
- Article 29
The article permits the Provincial Council to form special committees when needed, to seek the assistance of experienced persons, and to invite whomever it wishes to attend its meetings and take part in the discussion without the right to vote.
لمجلس المنطقة أن يكون عند الحاجة لجانا خاصة لدراسة أي أمر يدخل في اختصاصه وله أن يستعين بمن يراه من ذوي الخبرة والاختصاص. وله أن يستدعي من يشاء لحضور اجتماعات ا
- Article 30
The article permits the Minister of Interior to call the Provincial Council to meet under his chairmanship in any place he sees fit, and to chair any council meeting he attends.
لوزير الداخلية أن يدعو المجلس للاجتماع برئاسته في أي مكان يراه، كما أن له رئاسة أي اجتماع يحضره.
- Article 31
The article provides that the Provincial Council may not meet except on the call of its chair or his deputy, or by order of the Minister of Interior.
لا يجوز انعقاد مجلس المنطقة إلا بدعوة من رئيسه أو نائبه، أو بأمر من وزير الداخلية.
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.