Statute Details
- Title: Notice under Sections 10(6) and 17(6) for the Issue of Revised Loose-leaf Pages of Subsidiary Legislation Issue 1/97
- Act Code: RELA1983-N11
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (sl)
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275), Sections 10(6) and 17(6)
- Enacting Formula: “THE SCHEDULE” and a notice for general information
- Key Instrument: Revised Edition 1998 (15th June 1998) [1st January 1998]
- Government Gazette / Citation: G.N. No. S 563/1997; SL 563/1997
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per the platform’s record)
- Commencement (as stated): 1 January 1998 (for the revised loose-leaf pages in this Issue)
- Subsidiary Legislation Covered: Rules of Court (Cap. 322, R 5), incorporating amendments up to 31 December 1997
What Is This Legislation About?
This instrument is a legislative notice issued under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275). In plain terms, it tells the public that the Law Revision Commissioners have prepared and published a set of revised loose-leaf pages for a particular body of subsidiary legislation—here, the Rules of Court (Cap. 322, R 5).
The notice does not itself amend the Rules of Court. Instead, it performs an administrative-but-important function: it sets the effective date when the revised loose-leaf pages (which incorporate specified amendments) come into force. This ensures that practitioners and courts can rely on a single, consolidated version of the Rules of Court reflecting the latest amendments up to a cut-off date.
Because Singapore’s legal system uses consolidated “revised editions” and loose-leaf updates for certain instruments, notices like this are part of the mechanism that keeps the published law current. For lawyers, the practical effect is that the authoritative text of the Rules of Court for the relevant period is the one contained in the revised loose-leaf pages issued under this notice.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Legal basis for issuing revised loose-leaf pages (Cap. 275, ss. 10(6) and 17(6)). The notice is expressly grounded on Sections 10(6) and 17(6) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. Those provisions empower the Law Revision Commissioners to prepare and publish revised loose-leaf pages of subsidiary legislation, and to provide for their incorporation of amendments made up to a specified date. In other words, the notice is the formal “bridge” between (a) the Commissioners’ compilation work and (b) the legal effect of that compiled text.
2. Incorporation of amendments up to 31 December 1997. The notice states that the Commissioners have prepared and published loose-leaf pages that incorporate all amendments up to 31st December 1997 made to the Rules of Court (Cap. 322, R 5). This is crucial for legal practice: it clarifies the scope of what is included in the revised pages. Practitioners can treat the revised loose-leaf pages as the consolidated version reflecting amendments through that cut-off date, rather than having to piece together changes from multiple earlier instruments.
3. Appointment of the commencement date for the revised pages. The operative part of the notice provides that the Commissioners have appointed 1st January 1998 as the date when the revised loose-leaf pages of the Rules of Court in this Issue shall come into force. This is the central legal effect of the notice. Even though the revised pages are “prepared and published” earlier (the Revised Edition 1998 is dated 15 June 1998), the notice specifies that the effective date for the revised text is 1 January 1998.
4. “For general information” and the Schedule reference. The notice is framed as a communication “for general information” and includes a reference to THE SCHEDULE. While the excerpt does not reproduce the full schedule content, the structure indicates that the schedule is where the revised loose-leaf pages are identified. The legal significance is that the schedule is part of the instrument’s formal publication mechanism, ensuring that the revised pages are properly designated and tied to the authorising Act.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Although this instrument is short in the excerpt provided, its structure follows the typical pattern of Singapore law revision notices:
(a) Enacting formula / preamble. It begins with the legal “whereas” statement explaining that, pursuant to the authorising provisions (Cap. 275, ss. 10(6) and 17(6)), the Law Revision Commissioners have prepared and published the revised loose-leaf pages set out in the schedule.
(b) The Schedule. The schedule is referenced as the place where the revised loose-leaf pages are set out/identified. For practitioners, this is where the instrument’s subject matter is formally specified.
(c) Operative notice. The “now, therefore” clause provides the key legal outcome: the appointment of the commencement date (1 January 1998) for the revised loose-leaf pages of the Rules of Court in Issue 1/97.
(d) Legislative history / timeline. The platform record includes a timeline showing that the notice is associated with SL 563/1997 and a Revised Edition 1998 dated 15 June 1998, with the effective date being 1 January 1998. This timeline is important for determining which version of the Rules of Court was authoritative at a given time.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This notice applies to everyone who uses the Rules of Court—principally lawyers, litigants, court officers, and the judiciary. While the notice is not directed at a particular class of persons in the way that substantive regulatory legislation might be, its effect is universal because it determines the official consolidated text of the Rules of Court for the relevant period.
In practice, the notice matters most to practitioners who must ensure that they are relying on the correct version of the Rules of Court when drafting pleadings, filing documents, advising clients on procedure, or arguing procedural points in court. For historical matters, the effective date (1 January 1998) helps determine which procedural rules applied at the time proceedings were commenced or steps were taken.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though this instrument is not a substantive amendment, it is highly important for legal certainty. Court procedure is governed by the Rules of Court, and procedural compliance can be decisive. A consolidated revised edition reduces the risk of practitioners relying on outdated or superseded provisions.
From an enforcement and compliance perspective, the notice’s significance lies in its effective date. Lawyers often need to know which procedural regime applied at a particular time. By appointing 1 January 1998 as the date the revised loose-leaf pages come into force, the notice provides a clear temporal anchor for determining the authoritative procedural text.
Additionally, the notice demonstrates the functioning of Singapore’s law revision system. It shows how the Law Revision Commissioners incorporate amendments up to a cut-off date (31 December 1997) into a consolidated publication, and how the Revised Edition of the Laws Act provides the statutory authority for that process. For practitioners, this means that the revised loose-leaf pages can be treated as a reliable reference point for the law as amended through the specified period.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275) — Sections 10(6) and 17(6) (authorising provisions for revised loose-leaf pages)
- Rules of Court (Cap. 322, R 5) — the subsidiary legislation whose revised loose-leaf pages are brought into force by this notice
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Notice under Sections 10 (6) and 17 (6) for the Issue of Revised Loose-leaf Pages of Subsidiary Legislation Issue 1/97 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.