Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) Order 2017
- Act Code: RELA1983-S662-2017
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation (Order)
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275)
- Key Legal Power: Section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
- Commencement / Effective Date: 30 November 2017
- Publication / Instrument Date: Dated 9 November 2017
- Instrument Number: No. S 662
- Schedule: Specifies the Acts to which the Order applies (Acts listed in “THE SCHEDULE”)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per the legislation portal)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) Order 2017 is a procedural but highly consequential instrument. In plain terms, it declares that, for the specific Acts listed in its Schedule, the “loose-leaf edition” of those Acts becomes the sole and proper law of Singapore for use in all courts and for all purposes.
This Order operates in the context of Singapore’s legislative consolidation and publication framework. Singapore maintains authoritative versions of statutes through official editions. Over time, legal texts are updated, recompiled, and reissued. The loose-leaf format is a mechanism used to keep the printed legal text current through replacement pages or updates. The Order ensures that, once the loose-leaf edition is brought into effect, it is treated as the definitive legal source for the listed Acts.
Although the extract provided is brief and does not reproduce the Schedule contents, the legal effect is clear: from 30 November 2017, courts and legal practitioners must rely on the loose-leaf edition for the Acts named in the Schedule. This reduces ambiguity about which version controls, particularly where earlier printed editions or interim amendments might otherwise create uncertainty.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Exercise of powers under section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act
The Order is made “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act.” Section 11(3) is the statutory gateway that empowers the President to specify that a particular edition of the laws (here, the loose-leaf edition) is to be treated as the sole and proper law for specified Acts. This is not merely an administrative publication decision; it is a legal determination about evidential and substantive authority.
2. Declaration of “sole and only proper law”
The operative declaration states that, with effect from 30 November 2017, the loose-leaf edition of each Act set out in the Schedule is, “in all courts and for all purposes, the sole and only proper law of Singapore in respect of those Acts.” This language is designed to be comprehensive. It covers:
- All courts (from subordinate courts to the highest appellate forums); and
- All purposes (including litigation, legal advice, statutory interpretation, compliance, and enforcement actions).
For practitioners, this means that when citing or relying on the text of the listed Acts, the controlling version is the loose-leaf edition as specified by the Order—not an earlier printed edition and not an unofficial compilation.
3. Temporal effect: “with effect from 30 November 2017”
The Order’s effect is anchored to a specific commencement date: 30 November 2017. This matters in practice because legal disputes often turn on the law “as at” a particular date. If a case concerns events occurring before 30 November 2017, counsel must consider whether the relevant statutory provisions were substantively different in earlier editions. The Order does not necessarily change the law’s substance; rather, it changes which edition is treated as authoritative for the listed Acts from that date.
4. The Schedule as the scope-limiting mechanism
The Order’s impact depends on the Acts enumerated in “THE SCHEDULE.” The Schedule is the scope-defining component. Without the Schedule text, one cannot identify precisely which Acts are covered. However, the legal structure is clear: the President’s declaration applies only to the Acts listed. Practitioners should therefore always check the Schedule to confirm whether a particular Act is within the Order’s ambit.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This instrument is structured in a conventional format for Singapore subsidiary legislation made under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The key elements are:
- Enacting formula: identifies the legal authority (section 11(3) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act) and the President’s power to specify the authoritative edition.
- Operative declaration: states the effect and commencement date, and the “sole and only proper law” consequence.
- THE SCHEDULE: lists the Acts to which the declaration applies.
Notably, the Order is not structured around substantive regulatory topics (such as licensing, offences, or regulatory duties). Instead, it is a publication and authority instrument—its “subject matter” is the legal status of the loose-leaf edition for the listed Acts.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to everyone in the sense that it governs how the law is treated “in all courts and for all purposes.” That includes judges, court registries, litigants, legal practitioners, government agencies, and private parties who must interpret and apply the listed Acts.
However, the Order’s substantive coverage is limited to the Acts in the Schedule. For Acts not listed, the loose-leaf edition may not be the “sole and only proper law” under this particular Order. Accordingly, practitioners should not assume that the Order affects the entire statute book; its effect is targeted to the specified Acts.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Order is short, it plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity of legal sources. In legal practice, the authoritative text of a statute is foundational. If different editions were treated as equally proper, disputes could arise about what the “true” wording is—especially where amendments have been incorporated through replacement pages in loose-leaf updates.
This Order prevents such uncertainty by establishing a clear rule: from 30 November 2017, the loose-leaf edition of the listed Acts is the sole and only proper law. That has practical consequences for:
- Citation and drafting: lawyers must ensure that quotations and references match the authoritative edition.
- Statutory interpretation: courts interpret the text as it stands in the authoritative edition.
- Litigation strategy: counsel must verify the controlling version when arguing about statutory meaning or the effect of amendments.
- Compliance and enforcement: agencies and regulated entities rely on the authoritative text to determine obligations.
From an enforcement perspective, the “sole and only proper law” language supports consistency and reduces the risk that parties might challenge the legal basis of enforcement by pointing to discrepancies between editions. From a judicial perspective, it provides a straightforward evidential and interpretive anchor: the court can treat the loose-leaf edition as the definitive statutory text for the specified Acts.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Chapter 275) — in particular, section 11(3), which provides the power used to make this Order.
- Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) Orders — subsequent or earlier Orders made under the same enabling provision to designate authoritative editions for other sets of Acts (as may be listed in the legislation timeline).
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 11(3)) Order 2017 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.