INTERPRETATION OF STATUTES

Unit I

Meaning and Definition of Statutes · Classification of Statues · Meaning and Definition of Interpretation · General Principles of Interpretation · Rules of Construction under the General Clauses Act, 1897

• Statutes (Enactments) — Meaning and Classification
• General Clauses Act, 1897

Unit II

Rules of Statutory Interpretation · Primary Rules · Literal or Grammatical Rule · Golden Rule · Mischief Rule (Rule in the Heydon’s case) · Purposive Rule · Secondary Rules or Subsidiary Rules of Interpretation · Noscitur a Sociis · Ejusdem Generis · Reddando Singula Singulis

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

Unit III

Interpretation with reference to the subject matter of Statutes · Interpretation of Penal Status and Statutes of Taxation · Beneficial Construction · Doctrine of Harmonious Construction · Remedial and Beneficial Status · Interpretation of Constitution · The rule of Severability · Doctrine of Eclipse · Doctrine of waiver

Unit IV

External Aids to Interpretation · Statement of objects of legislation, Legislative debates, identification of purpose sought to be achieved through legislation · Internal Aids to Interpretation · Preamble, title, interpretation clause, marginal notes, explanations etc · Presumptions

• 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
• 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 V

Commencement of Statutes · Retrospective effect of Statutes · Repeals and Temporary Statutes · Effect of Repeal · Effect of Amendments to the Statutes · Conflict between Parent Legislation and Subordinate Legislation · Methods of Interpreting Substantive and Procedural Laws

• Commencement of Statutes — Prospective application, Retrospective effect, Repeal of Statutes, Provisions dealing with repeal under the General Clauses Act