General Provisions

Article (1)

The Shura Council shall commence its duties as provided under the constitution, and the law of the Shura Council and the Parliament, and in accordance with the provisions hereof.

Article (2)

In the course of the discussions held and the resolutions passed thereby, the members of the council shall abide to the provisions of the constitution, the law and hereof.

Article (3)

a) The commencement of the National Council is celebrated by the recitation of verses of the Holy Quran.

b) The ordinary commencement term of the National Council (by its both parts – the Shura Council and the Parliament) is opened in accordance with the provisions of articles (71), (73) and (74) of the constitution in listening to the higher speech, then the meeting is dissolved after the reading of this speech.

Article (4)

After listening to the higher speech, the Shura Council holds its first session in the first commencement term thereof, presided by its chairman in a procedures session.

Article (5)

In a public session, and prior to undertaking his proceedings and duties within the council or the committees thereof, each member of the Shura Council shall be administered the following oath: “I swear by Almighty Allah to be loyal to the homeland and to the King, to respect the constitution and the laws of the state, to defend the liberties, interests and funds of the people, and to perform my duties sincerely and faithfully”. This oath shall be undertaken first by the council chairman at the beginning of the legislative section.

Article (6)

The Shura Council begins the first meeting thereof at the beginning of every commencement term by the election of the two vice-chairmen thereof.

Article (7)

The office of the Shura Council selects a committee constituting of council members to prepare a proposal in response to the higher speech. The constitution of such committee is presented to the council for the approval thereof. The committee shall undertake the study of the higher speech, and shall prepare a proposal in response thereto, which shall be presented to the council at the time determined thereby, and the response is forwarded to the King after the approval thereof.

Article (8)

The Shura Council and the Parliament represent the division of the Kingdom of Bahrain at international parliamentary conferences.

The division shall have an executive committee that is constituted at the beginning of each commencement term; presided by the Parliament Chairman, and constituting of eight members, whereby each council (of the Shura and the Parliament) shall select four members thereof among its members by election. Candidacies are submitted in written form in each council within the period determined thereby. The chairman announces such candidacies within the council, and elections are held among the candidates by anonymous balloting under the supervision of a committee constituted thereby for such purpose. If no other candidates, more than the required number, have run for election, the running candidates themselves are announced elected by recommendation. The executive committee sets out the regulatory rules of the progress of work within the division, and all members of the division are to be notified thereby.