His Majesty King Hamad has issued Decree-Law No (38) of 2026 amending certain provisions of Decree-Law No (17) of 2002 on the Governorates System.
Under the decree-law, each governorate will have one or more mukhtars, who will be appointed by a decision of the Interior Minister from among candidates nominated by the governor concerned.
A mukhtar will serve a four-year term, renewable for one or more additional terms.
The minister may, upon the recommendation of the governor concerned, relieve a mukhtar of his duties before the end of his term.
The term mukhtar refers to a local community leader, such as the head of a village or neighbourhood.
The minister may also, for reasons related to the public interest or if a temporary impediment prevents a mukhtar from carrying out his duties, assign his responsibilities to another mukhtar in the same governorate for a period deemed appropriate.
His Majesty also issued Decree-Law No (37) of 2026, amending Article (9) of Law No (11) of 1975 on passports.
The amendment provides for special passports to be issued, subject to the approval of the Prime Minister, to members of the Shura Council and Parliament; serving officials at the rank of under-secretary or above and their equivalents; members of the Constitutional Court; judges of the Court of Cassation and their equivalents; former chairmen of the Shura Council and Parliament; and former ministers, former under-secretaries and their equivalents.
His Majesty further issued Decree-Law No (39) of 2026 amending Article (9) of the Municipalities Law promulgated by Decree-Law No (35) of 2001.
The amendment stipulates that if a Royal Order is issued to extend Parliament’s legislative term, the Prime Minister may issue a decision extending the term of the existing municipal councils until the end of the extended legislative term.
This provision will not apply if the original term of the existing municipal councils extends beyond the period of the legislative extension.
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