Statute Details
- Title: Notice under Section 17(5)
- Act Code: RELA1983-S514-2006
- Instrument Type: Subsidiary Legislation (SL) notice
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Key Authorising Provision: Section 17(5) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Instrument Number: No. S 514
- Publication/Date: Dated 10 August 2006
- Commencement (as notified): 31 August 2006 (date appointed for coming into force of the 2006 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation)
- Status: Current version as at 27 March 2026
- Schedule: “THE SCHEDULE” (contains the notice text)
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 regulatory law that creates new legal duties for the public. Instead, it performs an administrative but legally significant function: it sets the commencement date for a particular law revision output—namely, the 2006 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation.
The notice explains that the Law Revision Commissioners had caused the 2006 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation to be published in loose-leaf form, incorporating amendments up to 1 August 2006. The notice then “appoints” a specific date—31 August 2006—as the date when that revised edition is to come into force.
For practitioners, the practical importance lies in how revised editions affect legal certainty and citation. When a revised edition comes into force, it becomes the authoritative consolidated presentation of subsidiary legislation as at the cut-off date (here, amendments up to 1 August 2006). This can affect litigation, compliance advice, and statutory interpretation, particularly where amendments have been made and the question is which version governs.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Legal basis and purpose (Section 17(5) framework)
The notice is anchored 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 in a loose-leaf format and then to have a legally effective commencement date appointed. The notice’s “Whereas” clause recites the background: the Commissioners have published the 2006 Revised Edition incorporating all amendments up to 1 August 2006.
2. Appointment of commencement date
The operative statement is that it is “hereby notified for general information” that the Law Revision Commissioners have appointed 31 August 2006 as the date the 2006 Revised Edition of Subsidiary Legislation shall come into force. This is the central legal effect of the instrument: it tells readers and courts when the revised compilation becomes the effective legal text for the purposes of reference and application.
3. General information notice (not a regulatory command)
The notice is framed as a general information notification rather than a command directed at regulated persons. There are no prohibitions, licensing requirements, penalties, or enforcement mechanisms stated in the text. Instead, the notice functions as a gateway to the revised legal corpus. In practice, lawyers rely on such notices to confirm that the version they are consulting is the one in force.
4. Formalities and authentication
The notice includes formal dating and signature: it is dated 10 August 2006 and signed by CHAO HICK TIN, Chairman, Law Revision Commission. It also includes a reference code [AG/RSL/1/2006]. These elements matter for document integrity and for ensuring that the notice is properly identified in legal databases and official records.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured as a short notice with an enacting formula and a schedule containing the notice text. The key components are:
(a) Enacting formula / heading: “Notice under Section 17(5)” and the identification of the instrument as No. S 514.
(b) “THE SCHEDULE”: The schedule contains the substantive notice language, including the “Whereas” recital and the operative appointment of the commencement date.
(c) Formal statement of commencement: The notice appoints 31 August 2006 as the date the revised edition comes into force.
(d) Signature block: Dated 10 August 2006 and signed by the Chairman of the Law Revision Commission.
Unlike typical regulatory subsidiary legislation, there are no parts, schedules of regulated matters, or detailed sections setting out substantive obligations. The “structure” is therefore best understood as a procedural/legal revision instrument rather than a substantive statute.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
Because this is a notice about the coming into force of a revised edition, it applies broadly to anyone who uses or relies on subsidiary legislation—including lawyers, judges, government agencies, businesses, and members of the public—when determining the authoritative text of subsidiary legislation.
However, it does not impose duties or confer rights directly on regulated persons in the way that substantive subsidiary legislation does. Instead, it affects legal referencing and interpretation. For example, when advising a client on compliance, a practitioner must ensure they are consulting the correct version of the relevant subsidiary legislation. This notice supports that by confirming the effective date of the 2006 Revised Edition.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the notice is brief, it plays an important role in the legal system’s maintenance of an up-to-date and authoritative legislative record. Singapore’s legislative framework includes both Acts and subsidiary legislation. Over time, subsidiary legislation is amended. The Law Revision Commissioners’ work consolidates amendments into revised editions. The notice under section 17(5) is the mechanism that makes that consolidated edition legally effective from a specified date.
From a litigation and advisory perspective, the notice helps manage a common practical problem: version control. In disputes, the question “what was the law at the relevant time?” can be decisive. If a practitioner cites a provision from a revised edition, they must be confident that the revised edition was in force at the relevant date. By appointing 31 August 2006 as the commencement date, the notice clarifies when the consolidated 2006 Revised Edition became the operative reference point.
Additionally, the notice supports legal certainty and access to law. Loose-leaf publication and subsequent coming into force help ensure that legal practitioners can consult a consolidated text rather than piecing together multiple amendments. This reduces the risk of citing outdated provisions or missing amendments that affect interpretation, procedure, or compliance obligations.
Finally, the notice illustrates the broader statutory architecture of law revision in Singapore. It is a reminder that the legal system not only creates laws but also curates and updates them through formal revision processes. Practitioners should therefore treat such notices as part of the “infrastructure” of legal practice, even when the notice itself does not regulate conduct.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275), in particular section 17(5)
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.