Article 28 of the Saudi Provinces Law
المادة 28 من نظام المناطق
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 الجانب الذي صوت معه الرئيس.
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 28 explained in plain English
This article sets the rules of quorum and voting in the Provincial Council:
1. Quorum: meetings are not valid unless at least two-thirds of the members attend. A meeting attended by fewer than two-thirds is therefore not a valid meeting.
2. Voting: decisions are issued by an absolute majority of the votes of the council's members.
3. A tie: if the votes are equal, the side with which the chair voted prevails.
Note that the text says "an absolute majority of the votes of the council's members", and not "of those present", and the article does not go into further detail on how this majority is calculated.
An arithmetic example of the quorum: if the council has 30 members, a meeting is not valid unless at least 20 members attend.
This article follows Article 27, which makes attendance a duty of office for some members and makes the absence of other members from two consecutive sessions without an acceptable excuse a ground for dismissal. It is followed by Article 29, which permits the 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.
Anyone who needs to assess the validity of a council meeting or decision 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 28 of the Saudi Provinces Law
What is the quorum for a Provincial Council meeting?
The attendance of at least two-thirds of its members.
How are Provincial Council decisions issued?
By an absolute majority of the votes of the council's members.
What happens when the votes are tied?
The side with which the chair voted prevails.
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 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 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.