Statute Details
- Title: Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 17(8)) (No. 3) Notification 2014
- Act Code: RELA1983-S718-2014
- Legislation Type: Subsidiary legislation notification (Gazette notification)
- Authorising Act: Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275) — specifically section 17(8)
- Key Legal Effect: Designates the 2014 Revised Edition of specified subsidiary legislation as the sole and only proper Statute Book for specified purposes
- Date Made: 21 October 2014
- Effective Date: 31 October 2014
- Gazette Reference: SL 718/2014
- Status (as provided): Current version as at 27 Mar 2026
What Is This Legislation About?
The Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 17(8)) (No. 3) Notification 2014 is a procedural “law revision” instrument. In substance, it tells courts, practitioners, and the public which printed/compiled version of certain subsidiary legislation should be treated as the authoritative “proper Statute Book” for legal purposes.
Singapore’s legal system relies on an organised publication of legislation. Over time, subsidiary legislation (regulations, orders, rules, and other instruments made under Acts) can exist in multiple versions: original instruments, amendments, and later compilations. The Revised Edition of the Laws Act provides a mechanism for the Law Revision Commissioners to publish revised editions in a consolidated form (including in loose-leaf format). This notification is one of the steps that “locks in” the revised compilation as the authoritative reference.
In plain language, this notification does not create new regulatory obligations by itself. Instead, it resolves a reference problem: when a lawyer or a court needs to cite subsidiary legislation “as law,” which version should be treated as the official one. The notification specifies that, for the subsidiary legislation listed in the Schedule, the 2014 Revised Edition becomes the sole and only proper Statute Book of Singapore for all courts and for all purposes, effective from 31 October 2014.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. The statutory basis: section 17(8) of the Revised Edition of the Laws Act. The notification is grounded in section 17(8), which empowers the Law Revision Commissioners to issue a Gazette notification. The purpose of that power is to ensure that once a revised edition has been published, it can be designated as the authoritative compilation for legal citation and judicial use. The notification’s “whereas” clauses explicitly reference section 17(5) (publication of the 2014 Revised Edition of subsidiary legislation as in force on 1 October 2014) and then section 17(8) (designation of that revised edition as the sole and only proper Statute Book).
2. The core operative statement: sole and only proper Statute Book. The operative effect is expressed in the central sentence of the notification: the 2014 Revised Edition of the specified subsidiary legislation “shall, with effect from 31 October 2014, be the sole and only proper Statute Book of Singapore in respect of those pieces of subsidiary legislation.” This is a strong legal designation. It means that, for the relevant subsidiary instruments covered by the Schedule, courts and parties should treat the revised edition as the definitive reference for “all courts and for all purposes.”
3. Temporal effect: effective from 31 October 2014. The notification specifies an effective date. Before that date, the law revision compilation may have been in circulation or in the process of being adopted. From 31 October 2014, the revised edition becomes the authoritative statute book for the covered subsidiary legislation. For practitioners, this matters when dealing with events occurring around the transition date—particularly where citations, arguments, or interpretive reliance depend on the exact text of the subsidiary legislation as it stood at a relevant time.
4. Institutional authority and formalities. The notification records that it was “made on 21 October 2014” by V K Rajah SC, Chairman of the Law Revision Commission. It also includes the internal reference “[AG/LLRD/RSL/275/2014/1 Vol. 1].” While these details are not substantive regulatory requirements, they are important for legal authenticity, citation, and verification in legal research workflows.
Practical note on the Schedule. The extract provided shows “THE SCHEDULE” but does not reproduce the list of subsidiary legislation instruments. In practice, the Schedule is critical: it identifies which subsidiary legislation pieces are covered by the “sole and only proper Statute Book” designation. A lawyer should obtain the full text (including the Schedule) from the official source to confirm whether the relevant regulation/order is within scope.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
This notification is structured as a short Gazette instrument with an enacting formula and a Schedule. The “whereas” clauses explain the background: (i) the Law Revision Commissioners published the 2014 Revised Edition of subsidiary legislation made under the Revised Edition of the Laws Act, as in force on 1 October 2014; and (ii) under section 17(8), they may specify by Gazette notification that the revised edition is the sole and only proper Statute Book for those pieces of subsidiary legislation.
The operative part is then stated in a single, decisive paragraph: it designates the revised edition as the authoritative statute book with effect from 31 October 2014. The Schedule then identifies the specific subsidiary legislation instruments to which the designation applies. Because the Schedule determines scope, the structure is essentially “background + operative designation + list of covered instruments.”
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The notification applies to all courts and all purposes in Singapore, but its practical effect is directed at the legal system’s use of subsidiary legislation texts. In other words, it binds the reference framework: when courts cite or rely on the relevant subsidiary legislation, the 2014 Revised Edition (as specified) is the proper and authoritative statute book.
For legal practitioners, the notification affects anyone who must cite, interpret, or rely on subsidiary legislation covered by the Schedule—lawyers drafting pleadings, counsel preparing submissions, government agencies enforcing regulatory regimes, and parties challenging or defending compliance. It does not typically impose new duties on regulated persons; rather, it determines which consolidated text is treated as the official reference.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although this notification is brief, it is legally significant because it addresses a foundational issue in legal research and litigation: which version of subsidiary legislation is authoritative. Without such designations, disputes could arise about whether a court should treat an older instrument, an amendment text, or a later compilation as the correct “statute book” for citation and interpretation.
The notification’s “sole and only proper Statute Book” language is particularly important. It signals that the revised edition is not merely convenient or persuasive; it is the official reference for the covered subsidiary legislation. This reduces citation uncertainty and promotes consistency across courts and legal documents.
From an enforcement and litigation perspective, the practical impact is that counsel should ensure that their citations to subsidiary legislation are aligned with the revised edition that is designated as the proper statute book for the relevant instruments. This is especially relevant when preparing legal opinions, drafting regulatory compliance documentation, or arguing statutory interpretation points that depend on the exact wording of subsidiary provisions.
Finally, the effective date (31 October 2014) provides a clear temporal anchor. Where a case involves conduct spanning the transition period, lawyers should verify whether the operative text relied upon is the one in force at the relevant time and whether the revised edition’s consolidation affects how the text is presented and cited. Even where substantive law is unchanged, the authoritative compilation can affect how the text is located and quoted.
Related Legislation
- Revised Edition of the Laws Act (Cap. 275) — in particular section 17(5) (publication of revised subsidiary legislation) and section 17(8) (designation by Gazette notification of the revised edition as the sole and only proper Statute Book).
- Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 17(8)) Notifications — other “No. X” notifications that similarly designate revised editions for different sets of subsidiary legislation (as indicated by the “No. 3” numbering in the title).
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Revised Edition of the Laws (Section 17(8)) (No. 3) Notification 2014 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.