Saudi Arabia restructures top religious, advisory bodies

(Karachi) Saudi Arabia's King Salman restructured the kingdom's advisory Shura Council, the Supreme Court and the highest religious body, media reported on Monday.

As part of the orders, King Salman appointed a new speaker and two deputies, including a woman, for the Shura Council. The Shura Council is an influential advisory body which will start a new term this week.

The king also ordered a "reformation" of the Council of Senior Scholars to be headed by Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, and appointed a new Supreme Court chief, Khaled bin Abdullah al-Luhaidan. He also named Ghayhab Mohammed al-Ghayhab as a senior adviser to the royal court.

The Majlis al-Shura, or Consultative Council, is a legislative body that advises the King on issues that are important to Saudi Arabia.

The Consultative Council currently consists of 150 members appointed by the King for a four-year renewable term. Based on their experience, members are assigned to committees. There are 12 committees that deal with human rights, education, culture, information, health and social affairs, services and public utilities, foreign affairs, security, administration, Islamic affairs, economy and industry, and finance.