Interpretation of Statutes

Unit 1 — PRINCIPLES OF LEGISLATION [10 units]

1. Introduction to Law making Process · 2. Legislature, Executive and Judiciary · 3. Consolidating and codifying statutes · 4. Principles of Utilitarianism by Jeremy Bentham · 5. Law and Public Opinion · 6. Law and Social Control- Relevance of John Rawls and Robert Nozick · 7. Law and Morals

Unit 2 — INTERPRETATION OF STATUTES [10 units]

1. Meaning of the term statute · 2. Classification of statutes · 3. Commencement, operation, repeal of statutes · 4. Purpose of interpretation of statutes · 5. Meaning of construction and interpretation-their difference · 6. Salient features of General Clause Act.

• 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
• The Interpretation of Statutes

Unit 3 — AIDS TO INTERPRETATION [16 units]

Internal Aids: 1. Titles 2. Preamble 3. Heading and marginal notes 4. Sections and sub- sections 5. Punctuation marks 6. Illustrative exceptions, provisos and saving clauses 7. Schedules 8. Non- obstante clause · External Aids: 1. Parliamentary history 2. Debates and Proceedings of the Legislature 3. Historical facts and surrounding circumstances 4. Social economic and political developments 5. Reference to other statutes 6. Contemporanea exposition 7. Other external aids - codifying and consolidating statutes 8. International Conventions 9. Committee 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

Unit 4 — RULES OF STATUTORY INTERPRETATION [15 units]

A. General rules - Primary rules: 1. Literal rule 2. Golden rule 3. Mischief rule (rule in the Heydon's case) 4. Rule of harmonious construction 5. Statute to be construed to make it effective and workable 6. Omissions not to be inferred 7. Every word in a statute to be given a meaning · B. Subsidiary Rules: 1. Same word same meaning 2. Use of different words 3. Rule of last antecedent 4. Non-obstante clause 5. Legal fiction 6. Mandatory and directory provisions 7. Conjunctive and disjunctive words 'or' and 'and' 8. Noscitur a sociis 9. Ejusdem generis 10. Reddendo singular singulis

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

Unit 5 — PRESUMPTIONS IN STATUTORY INTERPRETATION [10 units]

1. Presumption against ouster of established jurisdiction, creation of new jurisdictions and enlargement of existing jurisdictions of Courts. · 2. Presumption against violation of international law. · 3. Presumption against extra-territorial operation of statute. · 4. Presumption whether statutes affect the State

• 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 6 — INTERPRETATION WITH REFERENCE TO THE SUBJECT MATTER AND PURPOSE [8 units]

1. Restrictive and beneficial construction · 2. Taxing statutes · 3. Penal statutes · 4. Welfare legislation · 5. interpretation of substantive and adjectival statutes · 6. interpretation of directory and mandatory provisions · 7. interpretation of enabling statutes · 8. interpretation of codifying and consolidating statutes · 9. interpretation of statutes conferring rights · 10. Interpretation of statutes conferring powers.

Unit 7 — PRINCIPLES Of CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPRETATION [7 units]

1. Harmonious constructions · 2. Doctrine of pith and substance · 3. Colorable legislation · 4. Ancillary powers · 5. "Occupied field" · 6. Residuary power · 7. Doctrine of repugnancy

Unit 8 — MAXIMS OF STATUTORY INTERPRETATION [8 units]

1. Delegates non potest delegare · 2. Expression unius exclusio alterius · 3. Generalia specialibus non derogant · 4. In pari delicto potior est condition possidentis. · 5. Ut res valet potior quam pareat · 6. Expressum facit cessare tacitum · 7. In bonam partem