Statute Details
- Title: Notice under Section 17(5)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S292-2010
- Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL)
- Instrument Status: Current version (as at 27 Mar 2026)
- Enacting Formula / Authority: Law Revision Commissioners (Chairman: KOH JUAT JONG)
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275), section 17(5)
- Key Provision Highlight: Appointment of the commencement date for the “2010 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation”
- Publication / SL Number: No. S 292
- Date of Instrument: 11 May 2010
- Date Appointed for Coming Into Force: 31 May 2010
- Schedule: THE SCHEDULE (as indicated in the instrument)
- Amendment Tracking: Instrument indicates a timeline and versions; practitioners should verify the correct version via the legislation timeline
What Is This Legislation About?
This instrument is a formal notice issued under section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275). In plain terms, it is not a substantive law that creates new rights or offences. Instead, it performs an administrative but legally significant function: it sets the date when a revised compilation of subsidiary legislation becomes effective.
The notice explains that the Law Revision Commissioners have caused to be published in loose-leaf form the 2010 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation made under specified Acts (those Acts are referenced in the Schedule). The notice then appoints 31 May 2010 as the date on which that revised edition is to come into force.
For legal practitioners, the practical importance lies in the fact that revised editions can incorporate amendments up to a specified cut-off date and can affect how subsidiary legislation is cited and applied. Even where the underlying regulations have not changed in substance, the revised edition may consolidate amendments and present the law in an updated form that courts, agencies, and practitioners rely on for accurate legal referencing.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory basis: section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
The notice is grounded in section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. That provision empowers the Law Revision Commissioners to publish revised editions of subsidiary legislation and to issue a notice that appoints the date the revised edition will take effect. The legal effect is that the revised compilation becomes the operative reference point for the subsidiary legislation covered by the revision.
2. Publication of the 2010 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation
The notice states that, under section 17(5), the Law Revision Commissioners have caused to be published in loose-leaf form the 2010 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation made under the Acts set out in the Schedule. It further specifies that this revised edition incorporates all amendments up to 1 May 2010. This “incorporation” language is crucial: it signals that the revised edition is intended to reflect the law as amended up to that date, thereby reducing the need for practitioners to manually track scattered amendments across time.
3. Appointment of the commencement date (31 May 2010)
The operative step is the appointment of 31 May 2010 as the date the 2010 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation shall come into force. The notice uses the standard “Now, therefore, it is hereby notified…” formulation, making clear that the legal consequence of the notice is the commencement of the revised edition on that appointed date.
4. Formalities and authentication
The notice is dated 11 May 2010 and signed by KOH JUAT JONG, Chairman of the Law Revision Commission. It also includes a reference code [AG/RSL/1/2010]. While these elements may appear procedural, they matter for document integrity and for confirming that the notice is properly issued by the competent authority under the authorising Act.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Although this instrument is short, it follows a structured legislative/administrative format typical of Singapore legal notices. The structure includes:
(a) Title and status information: The document is identified as a “Notice under Section 17(5)” and indicates that it is a current version as at 27 Mar 2026. Practitioners should always verify the version via the legislation timeline, because notices may be consolidated or updated in the electronic legal database.
(b) Enacting formula: The notice contains the standard enacting/notification language referencing the authorising provision and the Law Revision Commissioners’ publication of the revised edition.
(c) THE SCHEDULE: The schedule is referenced as containing the Acts under which the subsidiary legislation is made. Even though the extract provided does not list the Acts, the schedule is the mechanism by which the notice defines the scope of what subsidiary legislation is covered by the revised edition.
(d) Operative paragraph: The core operative content is the appointment of 31 May 2010 as the coming-into-force date.
(e) Signature and date: The notice is dated and signed by the Chairman, confirming formal issuance.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This notice applies indirectly to the legal community and to the public, because it governs how subsidiary legislation is compiled and brought into force as a revised edition. It does not target a class of persons (such as employers, licensees, or offenders). Instead, it affects the legal reference framework for subsidiary legislation made under the Acts listed in the Schedule.
Practically, the notice is relevant to:
- Lawyers and legal researchers who must cite subsidiary legislation accurately and ensure they are using the correct consolidated/revised version;
- Government agencies that administer subsidiary legislation and rely on updated compilations for enforcement and compliance;
- Courts and tribunals that interpret and apply subsidiary legislation, where the authoritative text is the revised edition in force as of the appointed date.
Because the notice is about the commencement of a revised edition, its “applicability” is best understood as applying to the body of subsidiary legislation covered by the revision, rather than to a particular regulated group.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though this notice is not a substantive regulatory instrument, it is important for legal certainty and for the integrity of legal citations. Singapore’s legal system relies on accurate consolidation of amendments. When a revised edition comes into force, it becomes the authoritative consolidated presentation of the subsidiary legislation as at the cut-off date (here, amendments up to 1 May 2010).
From a practitioner’s perspective, the notice helps address a common problem: subsidiary legislation is often amended multiple times. Without revised editions, lawyers would need to piece together the current law by reading amending instruments and applying transitional or amendment logic. A revised edition reduces that burden by presenting the law in a consolidated form. The notice therefore supports efficiency and accuracy in legal research and drafting.
In enforcement and compliance contexts, the revised edition can also affect operational work. Agencies may update internal compliance manuals, checklists, and enforcement templates based on the revised text. While the substantive obligations may already have been in place through earlier amendments, the revised edition provides a single, updated reference point that reduces the risk of relying on outdated versions.
Finally, the notice underscores the role of the Law Revision Commissioners and the Revised Edition of the Laws Act in maintaining an accessible and reliable legal corpus. For litigation and advisory work, being able to demonstrate that the correct version of subsidiary legislation was in force at a particular time is often crucial. This notice provides a clear date—31 May 2010—for when the 2010 revised edition became operative.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular section 17(5)
- Subsidiary legislation made under the Acts set out in THE SCHEDULE (to be identified from the full text of the instrument)
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.