A draft law expanding the oversight powers of the Legislative and Legal Opinion Commission (LLOC) is set for a vote in Parliament, despite the Shura Council earlier rejecting the bill.
The law, amending Article (2) of Law No (60) of 2006 on reorganising the LLOC, was initiated by MPs and seeks to strengthen state financial discipline by increasing legal scrutiny over government contracts.
Under the proposed amendment, ministries, public institutions and government authorities would be required to refer any contract worth more than BD100,000 to the LLOC for legal review before signing.
The Shura Council had rejected the bill in principle, arguing that the existing law already grants sufficient powers to the commission and that additional procedures might delay contract implementation.
However, Parliament’s legislative and legal affairs committee unanimously recommended that MPs insist on their approval of the draft law, describing it as a key reform measure aligned with Bahrain’s Fiscal Balance Programme.
“The purpose of this amendment is to tighten control over state expenditure and ensure legal soundness in major contracts,” said committee chairman Mahmood Fardan.
“It reflects Parliament’s firm commitment to transparency, accountability and the protection of public funds.”
He added that empowering the LLOC to review all high-value contracts ‘will help prevent legal disputes, reduce financial risks and enhance the integrity of administrative and procurement processes’.
The proposed amendment replaces Clause (9) of Article (2) of the 2006 law with new wording requiring the commission to issue legal opinions on contracts signed by ministries, public institutions and entities subject to the Government Tenders and Procurement Law, particularly in cases involving complex legal matters.
“This initiative is not about adding bureaucracy,” Mr Fardan stressed. “It’s about ensuring that contracts are legally sound and that public money is spent efficiently and lawfully. Oversight should be seen as a safeguard, not an obstacle.”
The government’s Fiscal Balance Programme, launched in 2018, emphasises the need for stricter control over administrative and financial procedures. The committee cited this as a key justification for the amendment, arguing that all transactions and contracts exceeding BD100,000 should undergo mandatory legal review to avoid errors and liabilities that could cost the state millions.
If Parliament maintains its approval, the draft law will be returned to the Shura Council under the constitutional mechanism for resolving disagreements between the two chambers, potentially paving the way for a joint session.
Meanwhile, MPs are also set to vote on a government-drafted legislation to ratify a joint aviation agreement with Kyrgyztan.
Housing and Urban Planning Minister Amna Al Romaihi will be present to respond to questions by MPs Dr Mariam Al Dhaen and Hassan Ibrahim on social housing services pending since 2002.
“There are 688 applicants waiting for social homes, 43 for social apartments and 25 for housing plots in the Southern Governorate’s constituency two,” said Ms Al Romaihi.
“For Northern Governorate constituency four, we have 312 on the waiting lists and 58 applicants waiting before 2004 opting for alternative services,” she added.
“We have thousands of housing projects to accommodate Bahrainis across the country, whether in East Sitra, Buhair, Salman Town and Khalifa Town and East Hidd.”
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