Bahraini minister questions draft law banning expats from driving

The constitutionality of the new controversial draft legislation that bars expatriates from driving in Bahrain is questionable, a minister said.

Bahrain's State Information Minister and official spokeswoman Sameera Rajab said after a cabinet meeting that Bahrain's open minded society cannot turn back, the Gulf Daily News reported Monday.

"We have always been moving forward, not backwards," Rajab said, while stressing on Bahrain's pioneering approach in dealing with issues related to people's rights.

She pointed out that the government was following the development of the contentious law.

During a session late last month, Bahrain's Shura council approved the disputed Article 20 that bars expatriates from driving unless their job requires it.

Bahrain's parliament had approved a draft legislation -- as part of a draft traffic law -- which states that "resident expatriates living in Bahrain of non-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) nationality are not allowed to get a driving licence for a car or machine vehicle unless the nature of his/her job requires it".

Bahrain is home to around 290,00 expatriate Indians.