A member of Oman’s elected Shura Council withdrew from a session following a verbal dispute with another member on Monday, Gulf News has learnt.

Sultan Al Abri, a Shura member representing Ibri province had a heated verbal dispute with Mohammad Al Zadjali, a member representing Sohar province who is the head of the Legal Committee at the council, another Shura member told Gulf News.

Al Abri withdrew from the annual session of the council for what he called negligence from the council for his proposal to ban companies involved in bribery cases from the being given government tenders.

Al Abri noted the such proposal is in the public interest. Al Zadjali responded that patriotism comes from actions, not words, which led Al Abri to withdraw from the session.

Meanwhile, Ali Al Mahrooqi, the Secretary General of the Shura Council, said that punitive action will be taken for the repeated absence for some Shura members who fail to show up to the Shura meeting and sessions.

On his part, Khlaid Al Mawali, the chairman of the Shura Council, affirmed that the summoning of Darwish Al Beloushi, the Minister Responsible for Financial Affairs to discuss the general budget 2017, will be held behind closed doors.

As per the provisions of the article No 85 of the Basic Law of the State, the Shura Council held the second annual sitting 2016/2017 of the eighth term 2015-2019 on Monday.

The Shura Council is the lower house of the Council of Oman and has enjoyed some legislative and regulatory powers since 2011.

The seventh Shura election of 2011 came at a turning point in the history of the legislative body, following the granting of more legislative powers. The new powers enabled the council to participate in the study of public budgets of the state, government projects as well as grilling ministers of service ministries.

The chairman of the Shura Council will submit an annual report of its work to Sultan Qaboos.

The Shura Council was established in 1991 to replace the Consultative State Council, which lasted from 1981 until 1991

source : gulfnews