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A draft law that would overhaul the voting system used in Bahrain Chamber elections is set to be discussed by the Shura Council on Sunday.
The council’s financial and economic affairs committee has recommended approving the draft that aims to narrow the voting gap between small and large companies. The bill, already endorsed by MPs in November, seeks to amend the voting table attached to Decree-Law No 48 of 2012, replacing the current capital-weighted system – introduced under a 2020 amendment – with a more graduated and balanced structure.
If approved during Sunday’s Shura Council session, the new voting mechanism will come into force ahead of the 2026 Bahrain Chamber elections.
Committee chairman Khalid Al Maskati said the proposed changes were designed to strengthen fairness, transparency and broad-based participation within the chamber.
“The committee believes the proposed amendment restores balance to the electoral process by ensuring fairer representation for all members, regardless of company size,” Mr Al Maskati said.
“The chamber is a public-benefit institution representing all business sectors, and its electoral system must reflect constitutional principles of equality and non-discrimination.”
Under the draft law, the existing eight-tier voting table – which grants significantly higher voting power to large-capital firms – would be abolished and replaced with a 15-tier system, assigning between one and 15 votes based on declared capital.
The change substantially reduces the voting dominance of large corporate blocs while lowering thresholds for small and medium-sized enterprises to participate meaningfully in elections.
Mr Al Maskati
According to the committee, the current system creates sharp jumps in voting power that undermine equitable representation, whereas the proposed model introduces greater gradation and proportionality.
“This amendment reorganises the distribution of votes in a more measured way, avoiding sudden leaps that distort the will of the wider business community,” Mr Al Maskati said.
The Shura Council’s legislative and legal affairs committee has already ruled that the bill is constitutionally and legally sound, clearing a key hurdle for final approval.
In its report, the financial and economic affairs committee cited Articles 10 and 18 of the Constitution, which guarantee economic justice, equality before the law and non-discrimination in rights and duties. The committee stressed that voting in chamber elections is an organisational right linked to economic representation and must therefore comply with constitutional standards.
During its review, the committee examined opinions from multiple stakeholders, including the Industry and Commerce Ministry, the chamber, business associations, SME groups and the Bahrain Association of Banks.
Mr Al Maskati said the proposed reform would also encourage greater institutional participation.
“The new system incentivises businesses to activate their membership, engage more consistently with the chamber and take part in its programmes and elections,” he said.
“This will strengthen the chamber’s ability to represent diverse sectors and support national economic and development policies.”
The financial and economic affairs committee has recommended approval of the draft law in line with the decision of Parliament.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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