Oman tightens Shura Council attendance rules, expands budget oversight
New law strips members of seats over repeated absences and strengthens economic scrutiny
Dubai: Oman has introduced stricter attendance requirements for Shura Council members, including the loss of membership for repeated absences, while expanding parliamentary scrutiny of state budgets, development plans and economic policies.
The amendments, introduced under Royal Decree No. 97 of 2026 issued by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik on October 26, also strengthen safeguards against the misuse of parliamentary immunity and clarify the limits of legislative oversight.
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Under the revised law, Shura Council members will lose their seats if they miss three consecutive meetings or five separate meetings within a year, whether at the council, its bureau or committee level.
The amendments also prohibit members from exploiting parliamentary immunity for purposes beyond its intended scope. In cases of abuse, the relevant chamber must respond to requests to lift immunity and authorise criminal proceedings.
The changes further prohibit members of the State Council or Shura Council from simultaneously serving on the board of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
New provisions also establish procedures for filling vacant Shura Council seats, including the selection of the next eligible female candidate who secured the highest proportion of votes in the relevant governorate.
In a significant change to economic oversight, draft development plans and the state budget will be referred simultaneously to the State Council and Shura Council for review.
Draft economic and social agreements may also be submitted to the State Council for its views.
The Shura Council will also be empowered to submit recommendations to the government on its own initiative concerning economic challenges and measures to support development, where it considers such action necessary in the public interest.
The amendments impose restrictions on the exercise of parliamentary scrutiny powers, prohibiting their use to advance private interests, address personal matters, violate existing legislation or harm the public interest.
Oversight activities must also exclude sovereign and security matters, cases pending before the courts or Public Prosecution, and issues already settled by final judicial rulings.
