Article 27 of the Saudi Provinces Law
المادة 27 من نظام المناطق
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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، أو من يقوم مقامهم، في حالة غيابهم عن عملهم.
وبالنسبة للأعضاء المنصوص عليهم في الفقرة (هـ) من المادة المذكورة، يعتبر تخلف العضو عن حضور دورتي انعقاد متتاليين بدون عذر مقبول، موجبا للإقالة من المجلس، وفي هذه الحالة لا يجوز تعيين هذا العضو لعضوية المجلس مرة أخرى إلا بعد مضي سنتين من تاريخ صدور قرار إقالته.
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 27 explained in plain English
This article regulates attendance at Provincial Council meetings, distinguishing between two categories of members under Article 16:
First: the members in items (c) and (d) of Article 16, namely the deputy of the emirate and the heads of government bodies in the province who are specified by a resolution of the Prime Minister on the recommendation of the Minister of Interior:
- For them, attendance is a duty of office.
- They must attend in person, or whoever acts in their place when they are absent from their work must attend.
Second: the members in item (e) of Article 16, namely the appointed citizens of knowledge, experience and expertise:
- A member's absence from two consecutive sessions without an acceptable excuse requires his dismissal from the council.
- He may not be appointed to membership of the council again until two years have passed from the date the decision dismissing him was issued.
Note that dismissal depends on three conditions together: the absence is from two sessions, they are consecutive, and it is without an acceptable excuse.
This article follows Article 26, which regulates ordinary sessions every three months and extraordinary meetings. It is followed by Article 28, which requires the attendance of at least two-thirds of the members for a meeting to be valid; decisions are issued by an absolute majority, and the chair's side prevails in a tie. Anyone facing dismissal for absence can consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases.
Practical example
An appointed citizen member of the Asir Provincial Council is absent from two consecutive sessions without an acceptable excuse. This requires his dismissal from the council, and he may not be appointed again until two years have passed from the date the decision dismissing him was issued.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentAdministrative Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Al-Safwa Law Office and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 27 of the Saudi Provinces Law
What happens if a Provincial Council member is absent?
If he is an appointed citizen member and misses two consecutive sessions without an acceptable excuse, that requires his dismissal.
Can a member dismissed for absence be reappointed?
Not until two years have passed from the date the decision dismissing him was issued.
Can the head of a government body send someone else to the council?
He attends in person, or whoever acts in his place attends when he is absent from his work.
Articles this article refers to
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 26
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.
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
- 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.