Interpretation of Statutes and Principles of Legislation

Unit I — Interpretation of Statues

Meaning of the term 'statues · Commencement, operation and repeal of statues · Purpose of interpretation of statues · General Clauses Act 1897

• Statutes (Enactments) — Meaning and Classification
• Commencement of Statutes — Prospective application, Retrospective effect, Repeal of Statutes, Provisions dealing with repeal under the General Clauses Act
• General Clauses Act, 1897

Unit II — Aids to Interpretation

Internal aids · Titles · Preamble · Heading and marginal notes · Sections and sub- sections · Punctuation marks · Illustrative. exceptions. provisos and saving clauses · Schedules · Non-obstinate clause · External aids · Dictionaries · Translations · Travauxpreparatiores · Statues in pari material · ContemporaneaExposito · Debates, inquiry commission reports and Law commission reports

• 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
• Judicial material — Ratio and guidelines of courts in the following cases, minority, and majority judgements

Unit III — Rules of Statutory Interpretation

Primary rules · Literal rule · Golden rule · Mischief rule (rule in the Heydon's case) · Rule of harmonious construction · Noscitur a sociis · Ejusdemgeneries · Reddendosingulasingulis

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

Unit IV — Interpretation with reference to the subject matter and purpose

Restrictive and beneficial construction · Taxing statues · Penal statues · Welfare legislation

Unit V — Principal of Constitutional Interpretation

Harmonious constructions · Doctrine of pith and substance · Colorable legislation · Ancillary powers · Occupied field · Residuary power · Doctrine of repugnancy