Exposition ex visceribus actus - Indian Laws - General

Exposition ex visceribus actus (rule of construction ) Exposition ex visceribus actus is a long recognised rule of construction. Words in a statute often take their meaning from the context of the statute as a whole. They are therefore, not to be cons trued in isolation. For instance, the use of the word may would normally indicate that the provision was not mandatory. But in the context of a particular statute, this word may connote a legislative imperative, particularly when its construction in a permissive sense would relegate it to the unenviable position, as it were, of an ineffectual angel beating its wings in a luminous void in vain . If the choice is between two interpretations , said Viscount Simon L.C. in Nokes v. Doncaster Amalgamated Collieries, Ltd,(1) the narrower of which would fail to achieve the manifest purpose of the legislation we should avoid a construction which would reduce the legislation to futility and should rather accept the bolder construction based on the view that Parliament would legislate only for the purpose of bringing about an effective result . Superintendent and Remembrancer of Legal Affairs to Government of West Bengal v. Abani Maity - 1979 (3) TMI 203 - SUPREME COURT