Legislative Authority |
Legislative Authority |
Legislative Authority
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| Article 76
The Advisory Council shall handle the legislative authority, approve the
general State budget and monitor the executive authority, in a manner
stipulated by this Constitution.
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| Article 77
The Advisory Council shall consist of 45 members. Thirty of them shall
be elected directly by secret ballot, while the remaining 15 shall be
appointed by the Emir from among ministers or others. The membership of
the appointed members shall be terminated with their resignation or
dismissal.
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| Article 78
The election system should be laid out by a law, defining the terms and
conditions of nomination and election.
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| Article 79
The electoral districts, that the State will be divided into, shall be
defined by an Emiri Decree.
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| Article 80
The conditions for eligibility to the Advisory Council membership are: 1. Should be of Qatari origin. 2. Age on the closing date of nomination should not be less than 30 years according to Gregorian calendar. 3. Should be fluent in reading and writing Arabic language. 4. Should not have been convicted of a crime related to dishonesty or violating honour, unless otherwise rehabilitated later, in accordance with the law. 5. Should satisfy all conditions stipulated in the election laws.
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| Article 81
The Advisory Council shall have a four-year tenure from the date of its
first meeting. The election of the new council shall be conducted ninety
days before the end of the tenure of the previous one. Members may be
re-elected. If the elections cannot be held or are delayed, for any
reason, at the end of the previous council’s tenure it will continue to
be in office until the election. The term shall not be extended unless
when necessary and shall be done by a Decree.
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| Article 82
The law shall define the concerned judicial authority for deciding the
legality of the election of the members of the Advisory Council.
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| Article 83
If a post of an elected member falls vacant at least six months before
the end of its term, for any reason, a successor should be elected from
the date of the vacancy being created. If a post of an appointed member
falls vacant, a replacement shall be appointed. In both cases, the new
member shall complete the term of his predecessor.
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| Article 84
The Advisory Council will work for at least eight months in a year. The
sessions shall not be adjourned before the approval of the State Budget.
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| Article 85
The Advisory Council shall hold its annual ordinary session according to
an invitation from the Emir, during the month of October every year.
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| Article 86
With the exception of the previous two Articles, the Emir may call the
Advisory Council to the first meeting following the election within one
month of the election. In case of a delay in holding this session, the
period of the delay in this annual session, as stipulated in the
previous Article, shall be suitably deducted.
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| Article 87
The Emir or his deputy shall open the annual session of the council and
shall deliver a comprehensive speech tackling all the issues faced by a
country.
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| Article 88
The Emir shall call the Advisory Council to an extraordinary meeting, if
necessary, or as per a request of the majority of the council. In the
extraordinary session, the council has no right to discuss matters
except those for which the session was called.
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| Article 89
Invitation for the Advisory Council meeting in its ordinary or
extraordinary sessions and its adjournment shall be as per a Decree.
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| Article 90
The Emir has the right to put off an Advisory Council meeting by a
Decree for a period not exceeding one month. This postponement shall not
be repeated in one session unless with the approval of the council. The
period of postponement shall not be calculated as part of the period of
the session.
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| Article 91
The council shall hold its meetings at its location in Doha. The Emir
has the right to call the meeting at any other place.
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| Article 92
Members of the Advisory Council shall take the following oath before
assuming their duties in an open session: “I swear by Almight Allah to
be loyal to the country and the Emir; to respect the Islamic Shariah,
the Constitution and the Law; to uphold the people’s interests and to
perform my task honestly and faithfully.”
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| Article 93
The council in its first meeting shall elect a chairman and a deputy
chairman from amongst its members for the entire term. If any one of
these posts falls vacant, the council shall elect a replacement until
the end of its term. Elections shall be conducted through secret ballot.
If a majority in favour of a candidate is not achieved, there would be
repolling for the members whose tallies are tied. If the tie cannot be
broken by polling, a winner shall be decided by drawing lots. The
session shall be chaired by the oldest member, until the chairman is
elected.
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| Article 94
The council shall form the required committees of members within two
weeks of its first annual session. These committees may work when the
council is not in session and present the result of their activities at
the council’s sessions.
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| Article 95
The council shall have a board consisting of the chairman, his deputy,
heads of committees and the general secretariat assisting the council in
performing its duties.
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| Article 96
Maintaing order in the council is the duty of the chairman.
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| Article 97
The council shall establish its internal regulations and systems for its
functioning, for the functioning of committees, organising sessions,
rules of discussions, voting, and other powers and duties as stipulated
by this Constitution. The regulation should define penalties to be given
to members violating them or being absent from the council’s or
committees’ meetings without any justifiable reason. These regulations
should be issued through a law.
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| Article 98
Sessions of the Advisory Council shall be public. They may be held in-
camera as per a request of a third of its members or by a request from
the Cabinet.
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| Article 99
For a session to be valid, it should be attended by a majority of the
members, including the chairman or the deputy chairman. The session
shall be postponed to the next date in the lack of a quorum.
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| Article 100
Decisions of the council should be issued by a vast majority of the
members in attendance, in cases not requiring a special majority. In
case of a tie, the chairman shall have a casting vote.
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| Article 101
Membership of the council shall expire for any one of the following
reasons: 1. Death or disability 2. Expiry of the term 3. Resignation 4. Dismissal 5. Dissolution of the council
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| Article 102
Resignation from the membership of the council shall be in writing to
the chairman. The chairman shall put the resignation before the council
for a decision. The internal regulation shall organise the related
provisions.
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| Article 103
Membership of any of the council member shall not be revoked unless he
is untrustworthy or any one of the eligibility conditions is violated,
or is case of negligence of duties as a member. A decision on dropping a
member shall be taken by a two-thirds majority of the council.
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| Article 104
The Emir has the right to dissolve the Advisory Council with a Decree,
explaining the reasons for the dissolution. It is not permissible for
the council to be dissolved for the same reason twice. If the council is
dissolved, election for a new body shall be conducted not later than six
months from the date of the dissolution. Until the new council takes
over, the Emir shall handle the legislative powers with the assistance
of the Cabinet.
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| Article 105
1. Every member of the Advisory Council has the right of proposing laws.
Every proposal shall be referred to the concerned committee in the
council for further study and placing it before the council. If the
council accepts the proposal, it shall be referred to the government
after putting in the form of a draft law along with the council’s
opinions. After consideration by the government it shall be returned to
the council in the same or the next session. 2. A proposed law rejected by the council shall not be submitted again in the same session.
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| Article 106
1. Every draft of law approved by the Advisory Council shall be
submitted to the Emir for endorsement.
2. If the Emir does not approve the draft, he shall return it to the
council within three months from the date of submission, along with
reasons for such an action. 3. If the draft of law is returned to the council within the stipulated period and the council approves it once again with a two-thirds majority, the Emir shall approve it and issue the law. The Emir has the right, when absolutely necessary, to issue orders to stop the implementation of such a law for a period for which he believes it may achieve the greater interests of the country. However, if the draft does not get a two-third vote of the council, it shall not be reviewed during the same session.
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| Article 107
The general State Budget proposals should be referred to the Advisory
Council at least two months before the beginning of the fiscal year. The
budget shall not be valid unless approved by the council. The council
has the right to amend the State Budget proposals after the approval of
the government. If the new budget is not approved before the beginning
of the fiscal year, the previous budget provisions shall continue until
the approval of the new one. The law shall stipulate the manner in which
the budget is prepared as well as the fiscal year.
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| Article 108
The Advisory Council has the right of expressing opinions to the
government in general matters, and if the government is not able to
accept these opinions it should explain the reasons to the council. The
council has the right to respond once to this explanation.
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| Article 109
Every member of the council has the right to seek explanations from the
Prime Minister or any of the ministers in matters related to their areas
of jurisdiction. Only the member seeking explanation has the right to
comment once on the explanation.
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| Article 110
Every member of the council has the right to question ministers in
matters related to their areas of jurisdiction. Such a question has to
be first approved by a third of the council. Discussions on the question
shall not be conducted within ten days of putting it, unless in case of
an emergency, provided that the concerned minister approves curtailing
of this period.
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| Article 111
Every minister is responsible before the council for the functioning of
his ministry. A motion of no-confidence against a minister shall not be
moved until after a discussion on the enquiry addressed to him. A non-
confidence motion cannot be brought without the minister’s approval,
unless an application is signed by 15 members. The council has no right
to issue a decision in this matter before at least ten days from the
date of submitting the application or expressing the idea. A no-
confidence move against a minister shall have to be approved by two-
thirds of the members the council consists of. The minister shall be
relieved of his charge from the date of the decision on the no-
confidence motion.
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| Article 112
A member of the council shall not be excused for the opnions or views
expressed before the council or its committees on issues within the
juridiction of the council.
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| Article 113
1. No member of the Advisory Council shall be arrested, jailed, frisked
or questioned unless caught red-handed in an illegal action or without
the permission of the council. If the council does not issue a decision
on an application within one month from the date of receiving such
application, it shall be considered as granting of permission. The
permission shall be issued by the chairman of the council in times when
the council is not in session. 2. In case of apprehension, the council should be informed about the action taken against the concerned member. In times when the council is not in session, it should be notified in the its first session.
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| Article 114
It is not allowed for a member of the council to have membership of the
council while simultaneously handling public post, except in cases where
it is accepted by the Constitution.
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| Article 115
Members of the council shall work for the interests of the country and
shall not use this membership in any way for their own interests or
interests of those with whom they have special relations. The law shall
define acts that the members shall not indulge in.
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| Article 116
The chairman of the council, his deputy and members shall be awarded
renumeration to be defined by the law, and to be valid from the date of
their taking the oath before the council.
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Constitution of Qatar |
| State and the Bases of the Rule |
| Basic components of the Society |
| General Rights and Duties |
| Organisation of Authorities |
| General Provisions |
| Emir |
| Legislative Authority |
| Executive Authority |
| Judicial Authority |
| Final Provisions
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