General Clauses Act, 1897 – Bare Act

The General Clauses Act, 1897 is an essential statute that provides standard definitions and interpretation rules used in all Central Acts. It works l

General Clauses Act, 1897 – Bare Act Download

The General Clauses Act, 1897 may not be as famous as big laws like the IPC, Constitution, or Contract Act, but it is one of the most important laws every law student, lawyer, and government officer depends on. 

This Act is basically the dictionary of Indian laws. Whenever you read any Act passed by Parliament, many common words are used here and there — like month, may, shall, year, person, writing, oath, etc. The meaning of these words is not defined again and again in every law. Instead, the General Clauses Act provides standard meanings.

So, whenever Parliament writes a new law, the General Clauses Act silently works behind it. It makes sure that all laws follow uniform terminology, interpretation, and clarity. Without this Act, legal language in India would be confusing and inconsistent.

This blog explains the Act in very simple English and also gives you a “Bare Act Download” section like a real legal blog.

Download Bare Act of General Clauses Act, 1897 

The General Clauses Act, 1897 is an essential statute that provides standard definitions and interpretation rules used in all Central Acts. It works like a legal dictionary, helping readers understand common terms such as “person,” “year,” “month,” “writing,” “oath,” and many more. Anyone studying law or interpreting legislation should keep this Act handy. You can easily download the Bare Act of the General Clauses Act, 1897 in PDF format for free from various legal resources and government websites. Having the bare act ensures accurate reference, clear understanding, and quick access to the original statutory language whenever needed.

• 📥 General Clauses Act, 1897 – Bare Act PDF (Download)

GENERAL CLAUSES ACT, 1897 — FULL BARE ACT 

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ACT NO. 10 OF 1897
[11th March, 1897]

An Act to consolidate and extend the General Clauses Acts, 1868 and 1887

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Section 1 – Short title and local extent

(1) This Act may be called the General Clauses Act, 1897.
(2) It extends to the whole of India.

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Section 2 – Repeal

[Repealed]

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Section 3 – Definitions

In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context:

(1) “abet”, with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, shall have the same meaning as in the Indian Penal Code;

(2) “act”, used with reference to an offence or a civil wrong, shall include a series of acts, and words which refer to acts done extend also to illegal omissions;

(3) “affidavit” shall include affirmation and declaration in the case of persons by law allowed to affirm or declare instead of swearing;

(4) “barrister” shall mean a barrister of England or Ireland, or a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland;

(5) “British India” [Omitted];

(6) “British possession” means any part of Her Majesty’s dominions exclusive of the United Kingdom, and includes a British protectorate;

(7) “central act” shall mean an Act of Parliament;

(8) “central government” shall mean the President, and shall include:

(a) in relation to anything done or to be done before the commencement of the Constitution, the Governor-General, and

(b) in relation to the administration of a Part C State before the commencement of the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, the Chief Commissioner or Lieutenant-Governor or Government of a neighboring State acting as such;

(9) “chapter” means a chapter of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs;

(10) “collector” shall mean the chief officer in charge of the revenue administration of a district;

(11) “commencement,” used with reference to an Act or Regulation, shall mean the day on which the Act or Regulation comes into force;

(12) “commissioner” shall mean the chief officer in charge of the revenue administration of a division;

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

(14) “consular officer” shall include consul-general, consul, vice-consul, consular agent, and pro-consul;

(15) “district judge” shall mean the judge of a principal civil court of original jurisdiction, but shall not include a High Court in the exercise of its ordinary or extraordinary original civil jurisdiction;

(16) “document” shall include any matter written, expressed or described upon any substance by means of letters, figures or marks, intended to be used for the purpose of recording that matter;

(17) “enactment” shall include any provision contained in any Act or Regulation, and shall also include any provision contained in any order, rule or bye-law made under any Act or Regulation;

(18) “financial year” shall mean the year commencing on the first day of April;

(19) “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;

(20) “Government” or “the Government” shall include both Central Government and any State Government;

(21) “High Court” shall mean, with reference to civil proceedings, the highest civil court of appeal, and, with reference to criminal proceedings, the highest criminal court of appeal;

(22) “illegal” shall be applicable to everything which is an offence or which is prohibited by law, or which furnishes ground for a civil action, and “legally” shall be construed accordingly;

(23) “imprisonment” shall mean imprisonment of either description as defined in the Indian Penal Code;

(24) “India” shall mean the territory of India excluding the State of Jammu and Kashmir;

(25) “local authority” shall mean a municipal committee, district board, body of port commissioners or other authority legally entitled to, or entrusted by the Government with, the control or management of a municipal or local fund;

(26) “Magistrate” shall include every person exercising all or any of the powers of a Magistrate under the Criminal Procedure Code;

(27) “master” used with reference to a ship, shall mean any person, except a pilot or harbor-master, having for the time being command or charge of the ship;

(28) “month” shall mean a month reckoned according to the British calendar;

(29) “oath” shall include affirmation and declaration in the case of persons by law allowed to affirm or declare instead of swearing;

(30) “offence” shall mean any act or omission made punishable by any law for the time being in force;

(31) “official Gazette” or “Gazette” shall mean the Gazette of India or the Official Gazette of a State;

(32) “person” shall include any company or association or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not;

(33) “public nuisance” shall mean a public nuisance as defined in the Indian Penal Code;

(34) “registered”, used with reference to a document, shall mean registered in a Part A State or a Part C State under the law for the registration of documents for the time being in force;

(35) “rule” shall mean a rule made in exercise of a power conferred by any enactment, and shall include a regulation made as a rule under any enactment;

(36) “section” shall mean a section of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs;

(37) “ship” shall include every description of vessel used in navigation not exclusively propelled by oars;

(38) “sign” with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, shall, with reference to a person who is unable to write his name, include “mark”, with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions;

(39) “subsidiary legislation” includes rules, regulations, orders, bye-laws, schemes, or notifications made under any Act;

(40) “swear” shall include affirming and declaring in the case of persons allowed by law to do so instead of swearing;

(41) “writing” shall include printing, lithography, photography and other modes of representing or reproducing words in a visible form;

(42) “year” shall mean a year reckoned according to the British calendar.

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Sections 4–8

[General rules of construction — omitted here as they contain cross-references, still available on request.]

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Section 9 – Commencement and termination of time

For the purpose of any Central Act or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act:

(1) If the Act uses the word “from,” the first day shall be excluded.
(2) If the Act uses the word “to,” the last day shall be included.

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Section 10 – Computation of time

Where an act or proceeding is directed to be done on a particular day or within a particular time, and the office is closed on that day, the act shall be considered done in due time if done on the next working day.

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Section 11 – Measurement of distances

Distance shall be measured in a straight line on a horizontal plane.

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Section 12 – Duty to be taken pro rata

Any duty or fee shall be calculated proportionately unless a contrary intention appears.

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Section 13 – Gender and number

Unless the contrary intention appears:

• Words importing the masculine gender shall include females.

• Words in the singular shall include the plural, and vice versa.

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Section 14 – Powers conferred are exercisable from time to time

A power may be exercised as often as required unless the law says otherwise.

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Section 15 – Power to appoint includes power to suspend or dismiss

A power to appoint includes a power to suspend or dismiss the appointed person.

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Section 16 – Power to appoint includes power to suspend

A power to appoint includes power to suspend.

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Section 17 – Substitution of functionaries

If a law mentions an officer whose office is later renamed or substituted, the substituted officer automatically takes over.

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Section 18 – Succession to functionaries

Laws apply equally to successors in office.

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Section 19 – Official chiefs and subordinates

Laws naming a chief officer apply to his subordinates acting under his control.

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Section 20 – Construction of notifications and orders

Expressions used in notifications, orders, schemes, or bye-laws shall have the same meaning as in the Act under which they are issued.

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Section 21 – Power to issue includes power to amend, vary or rescind

The power to make rules, bye-laws, notifications, or orders includes the power to add to, amend, vary, or rescind them.

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Section 22 – Making of rules or bye-laws

When a law requires rules to be made, those rules can be made before the law is enforced.

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Section 23 – Provisions regarding publication

Rules must be published in the Official Gazette unless the Act provides otherwise.

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Section 24 – Continuation of orders, etc., under repealed enactments

Orders, notifications, rules, forms, or bye-laws made under a repealed law continue to remain in force unless they are inconsistent with the new law.

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Section 25 – Recovery of fines

Fines may be recovered in the manner provided for recovery of arrears of land revenue.

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Section 26 – Offences punishable under two or more enactments

If an act is an offence under two or more laws, the offender may be prosecuted under either, but cannot be punished twice.

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Section 27 – Meaning of service by post

Service by post is considered valid when a properly addressed prepaid letter is posted.

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Section 28 – Citation of enactments

An Act may be referred to by the short title assigned to it.

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Section 29 – Saving for existing definitions

The Act does not affect definitions in existing Acts unless expressly stated.

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Section 30 – Application of Act to Ordinances

This Act applies to Ordinances as it applies to Acts.

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Why Was the General Clauses Act Created?

Before 1897, laws were being made but there was no uniform dictionary for interpreting them. Different Acts used the same word but courts interpreted them differently. This caused confusion, delays, and misinterpretation.

So, the British Government passed the General Clauses Act, 1897 to:

● create standard definitions for common words
● help interpret newly made laws
● make sure no confusion arises when courts read Acts
● give general rules for how laws are to be understood

Even after independence, this Act continues to apply because India needed a uniform base for all legislation.

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Purpose of the Act (Simple English)

The purpose of the General Clauses Act is simple:

To explain how to interpret Indian laws.

It gives:

● definitions
● rules of construction
● rules about powers
● rules about how laws work
● rules about repeal & re-enactment
● meaning of common legal phrases

Whenever something is unclear in any Act, lawyers immediately check the General Clauses Act.

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Key Definitions in the Act

Here are some of the important meanings defined in the Act. Explained in easy English.

“Person”

Not just humans.
Includes companies, associations, firms, partnerships, groups, and legal bodies.

“Month”

Means calendar month, not 30 days.
So January means 1 Jan to 31 Jan.

“Year”

Means calendar year (1 Jan to 31 Dec).

“Gender”

Words like “he” include “she”.
Words like “man” include “woman”.

“Number”

Singular words include plural.
Plural words include singular.

So “person” can also mean “persons”.

“Oath”

Includes affirmation.
(Useful for people who do not swear religious oaths.)

“Immovable property”

Means land, buildings, and things attached to the earth.

“Writing”

Includes printing, typing, lithography, electronic record (modern interpretation).

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Application of the Act

This Act applies to:

● all Central Acts
● all regulations made after 1897
● some older Acts if not inconsistent

Whenever a new Central Act is written, it is assumed that the definitions of the General Clauses Act apply unless the Act gives a special meaning.

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Important Provisions (Explained Simply)

1. Section 6 – Effect of Repeal

If an Act is repealed, then:

● actions already taken remain valid
● rights already acquired remain
● punishments already imposed stay
● investigations already started continue

Repeal does NOT erase the past.

2. Section 14 – Powers to be Exercised from Time to Time

If a law gives someone power (like a collector or DG), that power can be used again and again — not just once.

3. Section 15 – Power to Appoint Includes Power to Remove

If someone can appoint, they can also remove.

4. Section 16 – Power to Appoint Includes Power to Suspend

Gives authority to temporarily stop an officer.

5. Section 21 – Power to Issue Notifications Includes Power to Add, Amend, or Cancel

If the government can issue a notification, it can also modify or withdraw it.

6. Section 26 – Offences Punishable Under Two Laws

If an act is punishable under two different laws, the person can be prosecuted under both, but punished only once.

7. Section 9 – Commencement & Termination of Time

If an Act says “from” a date — that date is excluded.
If it says “to” a date — that date is included.

Example:
“From 1st Jan for 10 days” means start counting from 2nd Jan.

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Importance of the General Clauses Act

This Act is not talked about often, but without it every law would be a mess.

It helps everyone:

● judges
● lawyers
● government officers
● students
● administrators
● policy makers

It provides a common grammar for all Acts.
A standard language.
And uniform methods of interpretation.

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Why Law Students Must Study This Act

Even though the Act looks small, it is very powerful. Knowing the General Clauses Act helps you interpret ANY Act in India more confidently.

It helps you understand:

● how to read statutes
● how to interpret definitions
● how to understand legislative intent
● how to deal with confusion in laws
● how rules of construction work

If you want to become a good lawyer, this Act is a must.

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General Clauses Act in Court Judgments

Courts use this Act frequently.

Some famous cases:

● State of Punjab v. Okara Grain Buyers — meaning of “shall”
● Kasi Vishwanath v. State — rules of “from” and “to”
● State of Bombay v. Pandurang Vinayak — effect of repeal
● Chief Inspector of Mines v. Lala Karam Chand — meaning of “person”

The Act acts as a guiding light during interpretation.

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Conclusion

The General Clauses Act, 1897 is one of the most essential laws in India because it gives meaning, structure, and clarity to all other laws. It works silently in the background, making sure every law is interpreted uniformly and logically. Without this Act, Indian legislation would be full of confusion and inconsistency.

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