KUWAIT: The constitutional court on Wednesday rejected petitions against a law changing the status of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry as an independent body, confirming that the legislation did not violate the constitution. The National Assembly late last year passed a law making the chamber a department under the ministry of commerce and industry.

The court, whose rulings are final, said that the legislation “did not breach constitutional guidelines” and that the challenges were not based on correct grounds. The court also said that placing the chamber under the authority of the government does not contradict articles of the constitution and aims at achieving public interests, adding that the new law does not bar the chamber’s officials from expressing their views related to its activities.