jordan pulse -

​The House of Representatives approved the Local Administration Draft Law for 2026 during a legislative session on Wednesday.
​The House passed Article 37 of the draft law regarding the formation of governorate councils as presented in the original government draft, rejecting amendments proposed by its Administrative Committee, thereby abolishing direct elections for governorate councils.
​Deputies also passed Article 36 as amended by the Parliamentary Administrative Committee. This article regulates the tenure of municipal councils, their dissolution, election postponements, and transitional management mechanisms, while addressing scenarios where municipal council membership falls below a legal quorum.
​Under Article 36, a municipal council's term lasts four years starting from the date it assumes office.
​The House approved an amendment regarding municipal council dissolution, explicitly designating the Cabinet as the sole authority empowered to dissolve a municipal council prior to the end of its term, according to specified legal conditions.
​Upon dissolution, a temporary committee must be appointed to administer municipal affairs until a new council is elected, provided new elections take place within a period not exceeding one year from the date of dissolution. Specifying this one-year deadline represents a key amendment introduced by the Administrative Committee, as the government's initial proposal did not mandate a time frame for holding new elections following dissolution.
​The amendment separated the Cabinet's authority to dissolve councils from general tenure provisions, framing it as an independent clause linking dissolution directly to the appointment of a temporary committee and holding elections within one year.
​Regarding election postponements, deputies retained the original government text without modification. This provision permits postponing municipal elections for one or more councils for up to six months if required by public interest or election integrity, with postponement decisions issued by the Board of Commissioners of the Independent Election Commission according to the law.
​The postponement period is counted toward the four-year term of the newly elected municipal council. However, if a postponement decision applies to all municipal councils nationwide, the postponement period is not deducted from the legal term of the newly elected councils.
​During a postponement period, a temporary committee manages the municipality. If the postponement period expires and elections remain infeasible, the Cabinet renders an appropriate decision regarding municipal management.
​Deputies also maintained provisions addressing a in municipal council membership below quorum, allowing the completion of membership numbers or taking necessary measures under the law to ensure uninterrupted municipal operations until elections take place.
​Source: Rum News Agency