No: 7 Dated: May, 15 1972

THE MEGHALAYA INTERPRETATION AND GENERAL CLAUSES ACT, 1972

ACT 7 OF 1972

An Act to provide for the interpretation of Meghalaya enactment and for shortening the language thereof Be it enacted by the legislature of Meghalaya in the Twenty-third Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

CHAPTER I

Preliminary

1. Short title and commencement:- (1) This Act may be called the Meghalaya Interpretation and General Clauses Act, 1972.

(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 21st day of January, 1972.

2. Application of Act:- Sale as otherwise expressly provided herein, the provisions of this Act shall apply, unless the context otherwise, requires to this Act and to all other enactments, whether passed before or after the commencement of this Act.

CHAPTER II

Definitions

3. Definitions:- In all enactments, unless the context otherwise require –

(1) “abet” with its grammatical variations General Act and cognate expression, has the same meaning as in the Indian Penal Code; Central Act 45 of 1860

(2) “act” used with reference to an offence or a civil wrong denotes a series of act as well as a single act, and words which refer to acts done extend also to illegal omission ;

(3) “affidavit” means a statement in writing, signed by the person making it and confirmed by oath.

(4) “Assam Act” means an Act made by the Chief Commissioner of Assam in Council under the Indian Councils Acts, 1861 to 1909 or any of those Acts, or under the Government of India Act, 1915 or by the Local Legislature of Assam under the Government of India Act, or by the Provincial Legislature or the Governor of Assam under the Government of India Act,1935, or by the Legislature of the State of Assam under the Constitution;

(5) “attested” in relation to a document means attested by a witness who has seen the executants sign the document, or has received from the executants a personal acknowledgement of his signature, and who has signed the document in the presence of the executants, but no particular form of attestation shall be necessary ;

(6) “autonomous State” means the autonomous State of Meghalaya formed under section 3 of the Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act,1969; Central Act 55 of 1969

(7) “Bengal Act” means an Act made by the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal in Council under the India Councils Act, 1861, or the Indian Councils. Acts, 1861 and 1892 or the Indian Councils Acts,8161 and 1909 or made by the Governor in Council of Fort William in Bengal under the Indian Council Acts, 8161 and 1909, or by the Local Legislature of Bengal under the Government of India Act;

(8) “Central Act” means an Act of Parliament and includes an Act passed or made before the commencement of the Constitution,

(a) by the Dominion Legislature or the Indian Legislature or;

(b) by the Governor-General in Council or the GovernorGeneral acting in a legislative capacity.

(9) “Centrally Government” in relation to anything done or to be done after the commencement of the Constitution, means the President, and include in relation to functions entrusted under clause (1) of Article 248 of the Constitution to the Government of Meghalaya, the Government of Meghalaya acting within the scope of the authority given to it under that clause;

(10) “chapter” means a chapter of the enactment in which the word occurs ;

(11) “child” in the case of any one whose personal law permits adoption, include an adopted child.

(12) “clause” occurring in a section which has no subsection, means a subdivision of that section and occurring in a sub-section means a subdivision of that sub-section.

(13) “collecto” means the chef officer in-charge of the revenue administration of a district.

(14) “commencement” used with reference to an enactment means the day on which the enactment comes into force ;

(15) “commissioner” means the chief officer in-charge of the revenue administrative of a division.

(16) “constitution” means the Constitution of India ;

(17) “consular officer” include consul-general, consul, vice-consul, consular agent, pro-consul and any other person for the time being authorised to perform the duties of a consul-general, consul, vice-consul or consular agent;

(18) “daughter” in the case of any one whose personal law permits adoption, includes an adopted daughter ;

(19) “day” means a period of twenty-four hours beginning as midnight;

(20) “daughter-commissioner” means the chief officer incharge of the general administration of a District;

(21) “district court” means the principal civil court of original jurisdiction but does not include the High Court in the exercise of its ordinary or extra ordinary original civil jurisdiction;

(22) “district judge” means the judge of a district court, and includes an additional districts judge;

(23) “document” includes any matter written, expressed inscribed or described upon any substance by means of letters, figures or marks or by more than one of those means, intended to be used or which may be used as evidence of that matter;

(24) “Eastern Bengal and Assam” means the territories which were under the administration of the LieutenantGovernor of Eastern Bengal and Assam immediately prior to the constitution of the Chief Commissionership of Assam in 1909;

(25) “Eastern Bengal and Assam Act” means an Act made by the Lieutenant-Governor of Eastern Bengal and Assam in Council under the Indian Councils Act, 1861 to 1909.

(26) “enactment” means an Act of the Meghalaya Legislature, and includes a Regulation, Meghalaya Ordinance and any provision contained in any Act, Regulation of Ordinance as aforesaid;

(27) “father” in the case of any one whose personal law permits adoption, includes an adoptive father ;

(28) “financial year” means the year commencing on the first day of April;

(29) “good faith”- a thing shall be deemed to be done in good faith, where it is in fact done honestly, whether it is done negligently or not;

(30) “Government” or “the Government” includes the State Government as well as the Central Government ;

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