Article 12 of the Saudi Shura Council Law
المادة 12 من نظام مجلس الشورى
Article 12 sets the seat of the Shura Council in the city of Riyadh, and allows it to meet elsewhere within the Kingdom if the King sees fit.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مقر مجلس الشورى ، هو مدينة الرياض. ويجوز اجتماع المجلس في جهة أخرى داخل المملكة، إذا رأى الملك ذلك.
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 12 explained in plain English
This article sets the seat of the Shura Council and the place where its meetings are held.
- The rule: the seat of the Council is the city of Riyadh.
- The exception: the Council may meet in another place within the Kingdom, provided the King sees fit.
Two things are clear from the text: a meeting outside Riyadh is not by decision of the Council or its president but by the King's discretion, and the exception is limited to places within the Kingdom, so the text does not address meeting outside it.
The article does not address the quorum of meetings, how they are run or when they are held; it is limited to fixing the place.
It is preceded by Article 11, which requires the president of the Council, its members and the secretary general to take an oath before the King before beginning their work. It is followed by Article 13, which sets the term of the Council at four Hijri years.
Putting the rule and the exception together, it is understood that meeting in Riyadh is the standing rule, and that meeting elsewhere is a case the King decides.
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 12 of the Saudi Shura Council Law
Where is the seat of the Shura Council?
Its seat is the city of Riyadh.
Can the Shura Council meet outside Riyadh?
Yes, in another place within the Kingdom if the King sees fit.
More articles on Formation and Term of the Shura Council
- Article 1
Article 1 establishes the Shura Council on the principle of consultation in the Quran and Sunnah, to exercise its tasks under this Law and the Basic Law of Governance.
عملا بقول الله تعالى: [فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْف
- Article 2
Article 2 sets the principles on which the Shura Council rests: holding fast to the rope of God, adherence to the sources of Islamic legislation, and members' concern for the public good.
يقوم مجلس الشورى على الاعتصام بحبل الله، والالتزام بمصادر التشريع الإسلامي، ويحرص أعضاء المجلس على خدمة الصالح العام، والحفاظ على وحدة الجماعة وكيان الدولة، ومص
- Article 3Amended by A/44
Article 3 provides that the Shura Council consists of a president and 150 members chosen by the King, with women's representation of no less than 20% of the members.
يتكون مجلس الشورى من رئيس ومائة وخمسين عضواً، يختارهم الملك، من أهل العلم والخبرة والاختصاص، على ألا يقل تمثيل المرأة فيه عن (20%) من عدد الأعضاء، وتحدد حقوق ال
- Article 13
Article 13 sets the Shura Council's term at four Hijri years, requires the new Council to be formed at least two months before the old one ends, and renewal of at least half the members.
مدة مجلس الشورى ، أربع سنوات هجرية، تبدأ من التاريخ المحدد في الأمر الملكي الصادر بتكوينه. ويتم تكوين المجلس الجديد قبل انتهاء مدة سلفه بشهرين على الأقل. وفي حا
- Article 14
Article 14 provides that the King, or the person he delegates, delivers a royal speech in the Shura Council each year covering the State's domestic and foreign policy.
يلقي الملك أو من ينيبه، في مجلس الشورى ، كل سنة خطابا ملكيا، يتضمن سياسة الدولة الداخلية والخارجية.
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.