Statute Details
- Title: Notice under section 17(5)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S192-2011
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL) notice
- Instrument Number: S 192
- Revised Edition / Subject Matter: 2011 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275)
- Key Legal Hook: Section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per the legislation portal)
- Date of Instrument: 30 March 2011
- Date of Commencement (as stated): 15 April 2011
- Enacting Body / Signatory: Law Revision Commission (Chairman: Sundaresh Menon)
What Is This Legislation About?
This instrument is not a substantive regulatory statute that creates new legal duties for the public. Instead, it is a formal notice issued under section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275). Its purpose is to bring into force a particular legal publication: the 2011 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation made under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act.
In plain terms, the notice tells lawyers and the public that the Law Revision Commissioners have prepared a consolidated “revised edition” of subsidiary legislation, incorporating amendments up to a specified cut-off date, and that a particular date has been appointed for that revised edition to take effect. The revised edition is published in a “loose-leaf form” (a format traditionally used for legal updating), and the notice serves as the official trigger for its commencement.
The scope of the notice is therefore administrative and legislative-infrastructure oriented. It does not itself amend the underlying subsidiary legislation. Rather, it confirms the commencement of a revised compilation that is intended to reflect the law as amended up to 31 March 2011, with the revised edition coming into force on 15 April 2011.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory basis: section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The notice is framed by the “whereas” and “now, therefore” structure typical of commencement notices under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The key legal point is that section 17(5) empowers the Law Revision Commissioners to publish a revised edition of subsidiary legislation in loose-leaf form, and then to appoint a date for that revised edition to come into force. This notice is the mechanism by which that appointed date is made known “for general information.”
2. Publication of the 2011 Revised Edition incorporating amendments up to 31 March 2011. The notice states that the Law Revision Commissioners have caused to be published the 2011 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation made under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, incorporating all amendments up to 31st March 2011. This is crucial for legal practice: it signals that users of the revised edition should treat it as authoritative for the state of the law as at the cut-off date, subject to later amendments that occur after that date.
3. Appointment of the commencement date: 15 April 2011. The operative part of the notice appoints 15th April 2011 as the date the 2011 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation shall come into force. Practitioners should treat this as the date from which the revised edition is legally effective as a consolidated reference point. For litigation, compliance, and advisory work, this affects how counsel should cite subsidiary legislation—particularly when the question is whether a later amendment had already been incorporated into the revised edition.
4. Formalities: dating, signatory, and instrument reference. The notice is dated 30th day of March 2011 and signed by Sundaresh Menon, Chairman of the Law Revision Commission. It also includes a reference in square brackets: [AG/RSL/1/2011]. These elements are not merely ceremonial; they provide traceability and confirm that the notice is an official act of the Law Revision Commission under the statutory framework.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The structure is minimal, reflecting the nature of a commencement notice. The instrument contains:
(a) A heading: “Notice under section 17(5)”.
(b) An enacting formula: a standard legal preamble that frames the notice as being made under the authority of section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act.
(c) The schedule: the operative text is contained in “THE SCHEDULE”. In this notice, the schedule sets out the “whereas” statements and the “now, therefore” commencement appointment.
(d) Metadata and portal information: the legislation portal indicates the status (“Current version as at 27 Mar 2026”) and provides a timeline showing the original instrument date and version. While these are not part of the legal text itself, they are important for practitioners to ensure they are consulting the correct version.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
Because this is a notice about the commencement of a revised edition of subsidiary legislation, it does not “apply” to a particular class of persons in the way that regulatory statutes do (e.g., licensed entities, employers, or consumers). Instead, it applies to users of the law—lawyers, courts, government agencies, and the public—by establishing when the revised compilation becomes effective as a reference for subsidiary legislation.
Practically, the notice affects anyone who must identify, cite, or rely on subsidiary legislation. For example, counsel preparing pleadings or compliance advice will need to know whether the subsidiary legislation they are citing reflects amendments up to the relevant cut-off date and whether the revised edition has commenced. The notice therefore has indirect but significant impact on legal certainty and citation accuracy.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the notice is short, it is important for the integrity of legal referencing. Singapore’s legal system relies on accurate consolidation of subsidiary legislation. Revised editions are designed to reduce the risk of practitioners relying on outdated text or missing amendments that have been made since earlier publications. By appointing a commencement date, the Law Revision Commission ensures that the revised edition is not merely published, but also becomes the operative consolidated version for legal use.
From a practitioner’s perspective, this notice is particularly relevant when dealing with issues such as:
- Correct citation and version control: determining which version of subsidiary legislation should be cited for events occurring before or after 15 April 2011.
- Amendment incorporation: confirming that amendments up to 31 March 2011 are incorporated in the 2011 revised edition.
- Research efficiency: using the revised edition as a reliable starting point for identifying the current text of subsidiary legislation at the time of commencement.
Finally, the notice supports rule of law values—accessibility, clarity, and predictability. Even where the underlying substantive regulations remain unchanged, consolidated and commenced revised editions help ensure that legal materials are available in a coherent form. This reduces disputes about what the law “was” at a given time, and it helps courts and practitioners apply the correct text.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular, section 17(5), which provides the authority for the Law Revision Commissioners to publish and commence revised editions of subsidiary legislation.
- Subsidiary Legislation made under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act — the underlying body of subsidiary legislation that is consolidated in the 2011 Revised Edition (as referenced in the notice).
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.