Article 39 of the Saudi Provinces Law
المادة 39 من نظام المناطق
The article creates a secretariat for the Provincial Council at the provincial emirate and sets its tasks in preparing the agenda, invitations, minutes and decisions, and keeping order in sessions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يكون لمجلس المنطقة أمانة في إمارة المنطقة تتولى إعداد جدول أعماله، وتوجيه الدعوات في مواعيدها، وتسجيل المناقشات التي تجري في أثناء الجلسات، وفرز الأصوات، وإعداد محاضر الجلسات، وتحرير القرارات، والقيام بالأعمال اللازمة لضبط جلسات المجلس، وتدوين قراراته.
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 39 explained in plain English
This article provides that the Provincial Council has a secretariat, and fixes its seat as at the provincial emirate. It is the administrative body that carries out the work supporting the council. Its tasks, as the text lists them, are:
- Preparing the agenda of the council.
- Sending the invitations on time.
- Recording the discussions that take place during sessions.
- Counting the votes.
- Preparing the minutes of the sessions.
- Drafting the decisions.
- Carrying out the work needed to keep order in the council's sessions.
- Recording the council's decisions.
The secretariat is thus responsible for the official documentation of what takes place in the council, from the invitation to the session through to drafting and recording the decision. These tasks have a practical effect: the recorded minutes and decisions are the reference for what the council concluded, and counting the votes relates to the issuing of decisions as the Law provides for meetings. The article does not state how the secretariat is formed or who heads it. It is followed by Article 40, which makes it for the Minister of Interior to issue the regulations needed to implement the Law.
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 39 of the Saudi Provinces Law
Where is the Provincial Council's secretariat located?
The text places it at the provincial emirate.
Who prepares the minutes of Provincial Council sessions?
The council's secretariat prepares the minutes of the sessions, records the discussions and drafts the decisions.
Who sends out the invitations to Provincial Council meetings?
The secretariat sends the invitations on time.
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 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.
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.