Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 8) Order 2014
- Act Code: RELA1983-S715-2014
- Type: Subsidiary legislation / Order (SL)
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Legislative Instrument No.: SL 715/2014
- Date Made: 13 October 2014
- Effective Date: 31 October 2014
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
- Key Legal Mechanism: President’s order declaring the loose-leaf revised edition as the “sole and only proper law” for specified Acts
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 8) Order 2014 is a formal legal instrument that finalises how certain Acts are to be treated in Singapore courts after a law revision exercise. In essence, it confirms that a particular “loose-leaf” revised edition of specified Acts—published by the Law Revision Commissioners—becomes the authoritative version of the law for all courts and all purposes.
This Order does not typically introduce new substantive policy or create new offences or regulatory schemes. Instead, it performs an administrative-but-critical function: it ensures legal certainty by designating which printed or loose-leaf compilation is the “proper law” of Singapore for the Acts listed in the Schedule. Practitioners rely on this mechanism because the “proper law” designation affects how courts interpret and apply the Acts, and it reduces disputes about whether an earlier or alternative compilation is authoritative.
The Order is made pursuant to section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275). That provision is designed to bridge between (i) the Law Revision Commissioners’ publication of revised Acts in loose-leaf form and (ii) the President’s power to declare that the loose-leaf edition is the sole and only proper law. The result is that, once the Order takes effect, the revised loose-leaf edition becomes the definitive legal text for the specified Acts.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The “loose-leaf edition” becomes the sole and only proper law. The central operative effect of the Order is contained in its concluding provision: the President orders that the loose-leaf edition of the Acts set out in the Schedule shall, with effect from 31 October 2014, be the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts. This language is significant. It is not merely a statement of preference or convenience; it is a legal designation intended to eliminate ambiguity about which version a court should treat as authoritative.
2. The legal basis: section 10 and section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The Enacting Formula explains the statutory pathway. First, under section 10 of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, the Law Revision Commissioners publish in loose-leaf form the Acts set out in the Schedule as in force on 1 October 2014. Second, under section 11(3), the Commissioners must transmit a copy of the loose-leaf edition to the President. The President may then, by order published in the Gazette, specify that the loose-leaf edition shall be the sole and only proper law for the relevant Acts.
3. Gazette publication and presidential order. The Order is framed as an instrument “hereby ordered by the President” and is tied to the requirement that the President’s order be published in the Gazette. For practitioners, this matters because the designation of “proper law” is not automatic upon publication by the Commissioners; it requires the formal presidential step. The Gazette publication is the mechanism by which the legal community is notified that the authoritative version has changed.
4. Effective date and practical consequences. The Order specifies that the loose-leaf edition becomes the sole and only proper law with effect from 31 October 2014. This effective date is crucial for transitional questions. If a dispute arises about the law applicable to events occurring around the revision date, counsel may need to consider whether the substantive content changed (often it may not, but revision exercises can include consolidation, re-numbering, and editorial amendments). Even where the substantive law is intended to remain the same, the authoritative text for citation and judicial reference is determined by the effective date and the “proper law” designation.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
Structurally, this instrument is short and procedural. It follows a standard format for “Revised Edition of the Laws” orders:
(a) Enacting Formula / Whereas clauses: These set out the statutory background—publication by the Law Revision Commissioners under section 10, transmission to the President, and the President’s power under section 11(3) to designate the loose-leaf edition as the sole and only proper law.
(b) Operative provision: The key legal command is contained in the concluding paragraph: the loose-leaf edition of the Acts in the Schedule is declared to be the sole and only proper law with effect from 31 October 2014.
(c) The Schedule: The Schedule lists the Acts covered by the Order. While the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule contents, the Schedule is the practical “scope” of the instrument—i.e., it tells practitioners which Acts are affected by the “proper law” designation.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
This Order applies to courts and all persons in Singapore insofar as they must treat the specified Acts as having a particular authoritative text. The phrase “in all courts and for all purposes” is broad and indicates that the designation is not limited to government agencies or to particular types of proceedings.
In practice, the Order affects lawyers, judges, and litigants because it determines which version of the Acts is the “proper law” for citation, interpretation, and reliance. It also affects legal publishers and compliance teams that maintain internal references to statutes, because they must ensure their materials align with the authoritative loose-leaf edition once the effective date has passed.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 8) Order 2014 is not a substantive regulatory statute, it is important for the legal system’s integrity. Singapore’s legal practice depends on accurate, authoritative statutory texts. When the Law Revision Commissioners publish revised Acts in loose-leaf form, there must be a clear legal mechanism to determine whether those revised texts replace earlier versions as the proper law. This Order supplies that mechanism.
1. Legal certainty and citation accuracy. The “sole and only proper law” designation reduces the risk of citation disputes. Without such a designation, parties might argue over which compilation is authoritative—especially where earlier editions, amendments, or unofficial compilations exist. By declaring the loose-leaf edition as the sole and only proper law, the Order supports consistent judicial reference and reduces procedural friction.
2. Continuity of the rule of law. Law revision exercises are part of maintaining an accessible and up-to-date legislative framework. The Order ensures continuity: the revised texts become the definitive legal reference point, while the legal system avoids uncertainty about whether courts should rely on the revised compilation or older printed versions.
3. Practical impact for practitioners. For a practitioner, the practical question is often: “Which version should I cite?” After the effective date, counsel should ensure that statutory citations refer to the revised edition designated by the Order. This is particularly relevant in drafting pleadings, preparing submissions, and conducting statutory research. Even if the substantive provisions are unchanged, the authoritative numbering, formatting, and editorial presentation may differ, and courts will expect reliance on the proper law text.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular sections 10 and 11(3), which provide the framework for publishing revised Acts in loose-leaf form and for the President’s designation of the sole and only proper law.
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) (No. 8) Order 2014 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.