Statute Details
- Title: Notice under Section 17(5)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S148-2011
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL) notice
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275)
- Key Provision (Authorising): Section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Instrument Number: S 148
- Enacting Formula: Notice for general information by the Law Revision Commission
- Date of Enactment/Dating: 7 March 2011
- Commencement Date (as stated in the notice): 15 March 2011
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Schedule: “THE SCHEDULE” (the notice text itself)
What Is This Legislation About?
This instrument is a formal notice issued under section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275). In plain language, it tells lawyers and the public when a particular “revised edition” of subsidiary legislation—compiled and published by the Law Revision Commissioners—starts to take effect as the operative version.
The notice is not a substantive regulatory measure that creates new duties or offences. Instead, it is an administrative/legal publication mechanism. Its purpose is to confirm the commencement date of the 2011 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation made under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. Such revised editions consolidate and incorporate amendments up to a specified cut-off date, thereby improving accessibility and legal certainty.
Accordingly, the practical “effect” of the notice is to anchor the legal status of the revised compilation. Once the stated date arrives, the revised edition becomes the authoritative reference point for the subsidiary legislation included in that compilation (subject to any later amendments). For practitioners, this matters because citations, reliance on current text, and interpretation in disputes often depend on knowing which version was in force at the relevant time.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory basis: section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The notice begins by invoking the authority under section 17(5). That provision empowers the Law Revision Commissioners to publish a revised edition of subsidiary legislation in a loose-leaf form, incorporating amendments up to a specified date. The notice then performs the final step: it appoints the date on which the revised edition “shall come into force”.
2. Incorporation of amendments up to a cut-off date. The enacting “Whereas” clause states that the Law Revision Commissioners have caused to be published in loose-leaf form the 2011 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation made under the Act, incorporating all amendments up to 15 February 2011. This is significant for practitioners because it defines the completeness of the compilation. If a dispute turns on whether a particular amendment was included, the cut-off date helps determine whether the revised edition reflects that change.
3. Appointment of the commencement date. The operative statement is: “it is hereby notified for general information that the Law Revision Commissioners have appointed 15th March 2011 as the date the 2011 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation … shall come into force.” This is the core legal effect of the instrument. It converts the published compilation into a legally effective revised edition as of the appointed date.
4. Formalities: dating and signature. The notice is dated “this 7th day of March 2011” and signed by Sundaresh Menon, Chairman of the Law Revision Commission. While these are procedural elements, they provide authenticity and confirm that the notice is issued by the competent authority under the Act.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Structurally, the instrument is concise and follows the typical format of a commencement notice under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. It contains:
(a) A title and status information (including that it is the current version as at 27 March 2026);
(b) An enacting formula that frames the notice as being made under section 17(5);
(c) “THE SCHEDULE”, which in this case effectively contains the notice text itself; and
(d) A “Whereas” clause and operative paragraph that identify the revised edition, the amendment cut-off date, and the appointed commencement date.
There are no “Parts” or substantive sections in the usual regulatory sense. Instead, the legal content is concentrated in the appointment of the commencement date for the revised compilation.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
Although the notice is addressed to the public “for general information,” its practical application is directed at users of Singapore’s subsidiary legislation: lawyers, courts, government agencies, and members of the public who rely on the published legal text. The notice does not impose obligations on a particular class of persons; rather, it determines when a particular published legal compilation becomes effective.
In practice, the notice affects how practitioners cite and interpret subsidiary legislation. When advising clients, preparing pleadings, or conducting compliance reviews, lawyers must ensure they are referencing the correct version of the subsidiary legislation. The commencement date stated in this notice is therefore relevant to determining the operative legal text from 15 March 2011 onward (subject to subsequent amendments and later revised editions).
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though this notice is not a substantive regulatory instrument, it is important because it supports legal certainty and accessibility. Singapore’s legal system relies on accurate, consolidated publication of subsidiary legislation. Revised editions reduce the risk of practitioners relying on outdated text or missing amendments that have been incorporated.
From a litigation and advisory perspective, the notice helps establish the temporal validity of the revised edition. If a party argues that a particular regulatory provision was in force in a certain form at a certain time, counsel must identify the correct version. A commencement notice like this one provides an authoritative anchor point: the revised edition came into force on 15 March 2011.
Additionally, the notice demonstrates the role of the Law Revision Commission in maintaining the legal corpus. The Commission’s work is not merely editorial; it has legal consequences through the statutory mechanism in the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. Practitioners should therefore treat such notices as part of the “chain of authority” for the legal text they use.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular section 17(5)
- Subsidiary Legislation included in the 2011 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation (as incorporated up to 15 February 2011)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Notice under Section 17(5) for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.