Statute Details
- Title: Notification under Section 4(2)
- Act Code: RELA1983-N1
- Type: Subsidiary legislation / notification
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275, Section 4(2))
- Commencement Date: Not stated in the provided extract (notification dated 25 Mar 1992; see legislative history)
- Key Instrument: “THE SCHEDULE” (lists the Ordinances, Acts and Imperial legislation omitted)
- Legislative History (from extract): Revised Edition 1990 (25th March 1992); Gazette Notification No. S 308/1986 (5th December 1986)
What Is This Legislation About?
This “Notification under Section 4(2)” is a procedural instrument made under Singapore’s Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275). In plain terms, it is a formal notice that certain older legal instruments—specifically “Ordinances, Acts and Imperial legislation” listed in the Schedule—are to be omitted from the revised edition of Acts.
The Revised Edition of the Laws Act provides a mechanism for consolidating and re-issuing Singapore’s laws in a cleaner, updated form. When the law is revised, some historical instruments may no longer be necessary, may have been superseded, or may be redundant. This notification is one of the tools used to identify which instruments should not appear in the revised compilation.
Although the extract you provided does not reproduce the Schedule itself, the operative effect is clear from the enacting wording: the notification specifies that the instruments named in the Schedule are omitted from the revised edition of Acts under section 4(1) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. For practitioners, the practical significance is that the omitted instruments should not be treated as continuing to exist within the revised edition framework, and any reliance on them may require careful verification against the current legal compilation.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory basis: omission from the revised edition. The notification is made “pursuant to section 4(2)” of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The enacting formula in the extract states that, under section 4(2), the Ordinances, Acts and Imperial legislation specified in the Schedule are omitted from the revised edition of Acts under section 4(1). This is the core legal action: it authorises the exclusion of specified instruments from the revised edition.
2. The Schedule as the operative list. The notification’s operative content is contained in “THE SCHEDULE”. In legislative drafting, the Schedule typically performs the substantive work by listing the exact instruments affected. Here, the Schedule would enumerate the specific Ordinances, Acts, and Imperial legislation that are omitted. For lawyers, the Schedule is therefore the “source of truth” for determining which historical instruments are excluded from the revised edition.
3. Relationship to the revised edition process. The notification references section 4(1) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. Section 4(1) is the provision under which the revised edition of Acts is produced. Section 4(2) then empowers the making of notifications to omit specified instruments. The notification therefore does not “create” new substantive law; rather, it shapes the presentation and compilation of the law in the revised edition.
4. Versioning and legislative history. The extract indicates that the notification is a “current version” as at 27 March 2026, while also showing a legislative history: it is tied to the Revised Edition 1990 and dated 25 March 1992, with an earlier Gazette reference (G.N. No. S 308/1986 dated 5 December 1986). For practitioners, this matters because the legal effect is tied to the revised edition process, and the “current version” label confirms that the notification remains in force as part of the published legislative record. However, the actual legal impact depends on the Schedule and how it interacts with the revised edition of Acts.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Based on the extract, the structure is straightforward and typical of omission notifications:
(a) Title and status: The document is identified as a “Notification under Section 4(2)”, with a status of “Current version as at 27 Mar 2026”.
(b) Enacting formula: The enacting formula states the legal basis and the effect—omission of specified instruments from the revised edition of Acts.
(c) THE SCHEDULE: This is the principal component. It contains the list of Ordinances, Acts and Imperial legislation that are omitted. In practice, the Schedule is where lawyers will look to confirm whether a particular historical instrument is included.
(d) Legislative history and timeline: The extract includes a “Legislative History” section and a timeline showing relevant dates and references (including the Revised Edition 1990 and the Gazette notification). This supports legal research by indicating the document’s provenance and publication context.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This notification does not apply to a class of persons in the way that regulatory statutes do. Instead, it applies to the compilation and publication of Singapore’s laws—specifically, the revised edition of Acts produced under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act.
Accordingly, its practical “audience” is legal practitioners, courts, and government bodies involved in legal research, citation, and reliance on the official compilation. If a lawyer is searching for the current status of an older Ordinance, Act, or Imperial legislation, the omission notification may affect whether that instrument appears in the revised edition. That, in turn, can influence how counsel frames arguments, identifies the correct statutory authorities, and cites legislation in pleadings and submissions.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
1. It affects legal research and citation accuracy. In litigation and advisory work, correct citation is essential. If an Ordinance or Imperial legislation is omitted from the revised edition of Acts, a practitioner must be cautious about relying on it as though it remains part of the current compiled corpus. While omission from a revised edition does not necessarily mean the underlying instrument is automatically void in all respects, it does mean that the revised edition compilation will not present it as part of the updated statutory set. Lawyers should therefore verify the current legal position by checking the current compilation and any relevant repeals, amendments, or re-enactments.
2. It clarifies the boundary between “historical” and “current compilation”. The notification helps draw a line between what is retained in the revised edition and what is excluded. This reduces confusion and improves the usability of the official laws. For practitioners, this is particularly important when dealing with older legal frameworks, transitional provisions, or matters that may have roots in pre-independence or early colonial legislation.
3. It supports the integrity of the revised edition process. The Revised Edition of the Laws Act aims to provide a consolidated and authoritative presentation of the law. Omission notifications like this one are part of the governance of that process. They ensure that the revised edition does not become cluttered with instruments that are no longer relevant, are superseded, or are otherwise inappropriate for inclusion. In practice, this enhances certainty for courts, lawyers, and the public.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275), particularly section 4(1) and section 4(2)
- Revised Edition 1990 (contextual legislative compilation referenced in the legislative history)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Notification under Section 4 (2) for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.