Interpretation of Statutes and Principles of Legislation

University of Burdwan · LL.B. Semester 5 · LOC 3.5.7 (A)

Unit I

 Meaning of Interpretation of Statutes ·  Objectives of Interpretation of Statutes ·  Distinctions between Interpretation and Construction of statutes ·  Primary Rules of Interpretation of Statutes—Literal Rule, Golden Rule and Mischief Rule  Rules of Harmonious Construction

Unit II

 Internal and External aids of Interpretation ·  External Aids—Dictionary, Statutes in Pari Materia, Foreign decisions, Law Commission Reports, Parliamentary History, Contemporanea Exposito. ·  Internal Aids—Long Title, Short Title, Punctuations, Heading, Preamble, Marginal Notes, Illustrations, Schedule, Explanation, Proviso

Legislative Material — Internal Aids — Parts of a statute and their function in interpretation of a statute — Short and long titles, preamble, schedules, marginal headings, parts, and their captions, chapters and their

Unit III

 Presumptions in statutory Interpretation – ·  Statutes to be read as a whole, ·  Intention of legislature predominates, ·  Statutes are territorial in operation, ·  Technical words in technical sense, ·  Words to be construed in popular sense, ·  Prospective operation of Statutes ·  Statute to be construed to make it workable and effective

Presumptions in Statutory interpretation — Statutes are valid, Statutes are territorial in operation, Presumption as to jurisdiction, Presumption against what is inconvenient or absurd, Presumption against intending injustice, Presumption against impairing obligations or permitting advantage from one's own wrong

Unit IV

Maxims of Statutory Interpretation · 1. Noscitur a sociis, · 2. Ejusdem generis; · 3. Reddendo Singula Singulis · 4. Delegatus non potest delegare · 5. Expressio unius est exclusio alterius · 6. Generalia specialibus non derogant · 7. In pari delicto potior est conditio possidentis · 8. Ut res magis valeat quam pereat · 9. In bonam partem · 10. Casus omissus · Rules of Construction of Taxing Statutes, · Rules of Interpretation of Penal Statutes · Rules of Interpretation of Remedial Statutes · Rules of Interpretation of Constitution of India—Doctrine of Pith and Substance, Colourable legislation, Ancillary Powers, Residuary power, Doctrine of Repugnancy.

Rules of interpretation of Statutes — Literal, Mischief and Golden rule of interpretation

Unit V

General Clauses Act, 1897 (sec 3, 5, 6, 9, 10,11, 13, 26, 27) · Meaning of legislation, Different kinds of legislations, Supreme legislations and subordinate legislations