jordan pulse -

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration Walid Al-Masri stated on Sunday that the Cabinet took a decision approximately two and a half months ago to grant permanent tenure to around 6,000 municipal workers, following extensive studies by the Ministry of Public Sector Development and the Civil Service Commission.
​Speaking during a House of Representatives session convened to discuss the Draft Local Administration Law, Al-Masri added that the ministry requested municipal councils and temporary committees to submit the lists of active workers, noting that the verification process is currently underway.
​He explained that the regularization of the first batch, comprising approximately 1,900 workers, will commence within a week, while the second batch will follow before the end of the current year, and the third and final batch will be completed during the first quarter of next year.
​Regarding workers who obtained university qualifications during their employment prior to July 2024, Al-Masri said their names are being audited after being submitted by municipalities, ahead of referral to the Civil Service Commission to take appropriate decisions in line with established regulations.
​He affirmed that nothing prevents municipal employees from pursuing higher education with their supervisor's approval in a relevant field, clarifying that obtaining a degree does not automatically alter an employee's job title, but enables them to compete for higher appointments through standard administrative procedures.
​Al-Masri noted that the Draft Local Administration Law aims to establish municipalities capable of delivering core services to citizens with high quality and efficiency. He stressed that the government maintained continuous consultation with the Parliamentary Administrative Committee throughout discussions on the draft law, commending the committee's efforts to refine several provisions and introduce amendments aimed at improving the legislation.
​For his part, Head of the Parliamentary Administrative Committee MP Khalifa Al-Deyat stated that the 2026 Draft Local Administration Law represents a pivotal milestone in the political and administrative reform trajectory, serving as key legislation stemming from the Economic Modernization Vision.
​Al-Deyat added during Sunday's parliamentary session that the draft law clearly delineated the respective roles of the municipal council and executive management, helping reduce overlapping authorities and enhancing structural clarity.
​He pointed out that the draft law restricted the power to dissolve elected councils, tying such actions to specific time limits not exceeding one year to ensure dissolutions do not remain open-ended.
​Al-Deyat emphasized that the draft law comes within the framework of modernizing the local administration ecosystem and advancing administrative and political reform.
​The House of Representatives commenced discussions on Sunday regarding the 70-article 2026 Draft Local Administration Law following its approval by the Parliamentary Administrative Committee with extensive amendments, governing the affairs of municipalities and governorate councils.
​Source: Rum Online News Agency