Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 2) Order 2014
- Act Code: RELA1983-S215-2014
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (Order)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Enacting instrument: Order made by the President
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275)
- Key legal mechanism: Confirmation that specified “loose-leaf” editions become the sole and proper law for courts and all purposes
- Effective date (as stated): 31 March 2014
- Maker / signing authority: Made on 13 March 2014 (by command; signed by the Secretary to the Cabinet, Singapore)
- Gazette publication basis: Order published in the Gazette pursuant to section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 2) Order 2014 is an administrative-legal instrument that performs a specific, technical function in Singapore’s law revision system. In plain language, it confirms that certain Acts—already published in a “loose-leaf” format by the Law Revision Commissioners—are to be treated as the definitive, authoritative version of the law for use in courts and for all legal purposes.
This Order does not itself amend substantive legal rules (such as criminal offences, regulatory requirements, or civil rights). Instead, it “locks in” the revised edition of specified Acts as the sole and proper law. The legal effect is that, from the stated effective date, courts and practitioners should rely on the loose-leaf revised editions specified in the Schedule as the authoritative text.
Accordingly, the Order is best understood as part of the infrastructure that ensures legal certainty and consistency. It addresses a practical problem: when laws are revised and republished in a new format, the legal system must clearly state which version counts as the proper law. This Order provides that clarity by invoking a statutory power under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Statutory “whereas” basis and the purpose of the Order. The Order begins by setting out the legal background. It states that, pursuant to section 10 of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, the Law Revision Commissioners have published in loose-leaf form the Acts set out in the Schedule as in force on 1 March 2014. This establishes that the loose-leaf editions are not arbitrary compilations; they are produced under a formal revision process and reflect the law as at a specified date.
2. The President’s power under section 11(3). The Order then explains the mechanism. Section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act provides that the Commissioners must transmit to the President a copy of the loose-leaf edition of each Act. The President may then, by order published in the Gazette, specify that the loose-leaf edition of those Acts shall be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts. This is the core legal authority for the Order: it converts a revised loose-leaf publication into the definitive legal text for all purposes.
3. The operative clause: “sole and only proper law”. The operative part of the Order states that the loose-leaf edition of the Acts in the Schedule shall, with effect from 31 March 2014, be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts. This phrase is significant. It is not merely “authoritative” or “preferred”; it is framed as exclusive. In practice, this means that for the specified Acts, the revised loose-leaf edition is the only proper law that courts should treat as legally effective for interpretation, pleading, and adjudication.
4. Timing and formalities. The Order indicates it was made on 13 March 2014 and provides an effective date of 31 March 2014. The temporal structure matters for practitioners: if a dispute arises around the revision date, counsel must ensure that the correct version of the Act is relied upon. The Order also includes the formal enacting formula and references to the relevant administrative file (as shown in the extract), reflecting that the instrument is part of the official legislative process.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Structurally, the Order is short and follows a standard format for legal instruments under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. In the extract provided, the document comprises:
(a) Title and status information (including that it is current as at 27 March 2026, and that users should check the legislation timeline for the correct version).
(b) Enacting formula and the preamble (“whereas” clauses) setting out the statutory basis under sections 10 and 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act.
(c) The operative provision (the key clause specifying that the loose-leaf editions are the sole and only proper law, effective from 31 March 2014).
(d) The Schedule (not reproduced in the extract). The Schedule is crucial because it lists the specific Acts to which the Order applies. Without the Schedule, the practitioner cannot know which Acts are covered; however, the legal effect is clear: the Schedule determines the scope of “sole and only proper law”.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
Although the Order is addressed to the legal system rather than to a particular class of persons, its practical reach is broad. It applies to courts and all persons and institutions who must determine what the law is for legal proceedings and legal purposes. The Order’s language—“in all courts and for all purposes”—signals that it is not limited to particular regulators, industries, or types of disputes.
In practice, the Order affects lawyers, litigants, judges, and government agencies by determining which version of the specified Acts is the proper law. It also affects legal research and drafting: when preparing pleadings, submissions, contracts, or compliance materials that refer to the specified Acts, practitioners should ensure they cite the revised loose-leaf edition that has been designated as the sole and only proper law.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it underpins legal certainty. Singapore’s legal system relies on accurate, authoritative texts of legislation. When the Law Revision Commissioners publish revised Acts in loose-leaf form, there is a risk of confusion between older compilations, earlier editions, and the newly revised text. The Order resolves that risk by providing an explicit statutory designation: the revised loose-leaf editions are the sole and only proper law for the Acts listed in the Schedule.
For practitioners, the practical implications are significant:
- Citation accuracy: Counsel must cite the correct version of the Act. If the revised edition is designated as the sole proper law, relying on an older compilation may lead to incorrect quotations or misstatements of the law.
- Interpretation and pleading: Courts interpret the “proper law” text. Ensuring that the correct version is used helps avoid arguments about textual discrepancies.
- Compliance and advisory work: Agencies and private entities often rely on consolidated or revised legal texts. The Order confirms which text is legally definitive for the specified Acts.
Finally, the Order illustrates the broader legislative policy of maintaining a coherent and accessible body of law. It is a procedural step in the law revision cycle rather than a substantive reform. Yet, because it determines the authoritative legal text, it can materially affect outcomes in litigation and regulatory practice.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275) — in particular sections 10 and 11(3), which provide for publication in loose-leaf form and designation of such editions as the sole and proper law.
- Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) Orders — similar orders that designate revised loose-leaf editions for different sets of Acts (including “No. 1”, “No. 2”, etc., depending on the revision cycle).
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 2) Order 2014 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.