Section 88 of The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966
The provisions of Part II shall not be deemed to have effected any change in the territories to which any law in force immediately before the appointed day extends or applies, and territorial references in any such law to the State of Punjab shall, until otherwise provided by a competent Legislature or other competent authority, be construed as meaning the territories within that State immediately before the appointed day.
Summary
- The single most important thing this section does is ensure that existing laws continue to apply to the exact same physical territories they did before the state was reorganized.
- It clarifies that any reference to the State of Punjab in older laws means the entire undivided territory as it existed right before the appointed day.
- This territorial rule remains in effect until a competent legislature or authority decides to officially change it.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. What does Section 88 of The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 say about the boundaries for older laws?
Section 88 of The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 says that laws existing before the reorganization still apply to the exact same physical areas they did before, meaning references to the State of Punjab refer to the old, undivided boundaries.
2. Can the rules in Section 88 of the 1966 Punjab Reorganisation Act ever be changed?
Yes, Section 88 of the 1966 Punjab Reorganisation Act states that these territorial rules apply until a competent legislature or authority makes a new provision to change them.
3. Does Section 88 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 automatically update territorial references in old laws to mean the new, smaller Punjab?
No, Section 88 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 specifically says that territorial references to the State of Punjab must be construed as meaning the territories within the state immediately before the appointed day, not the new smaller borders.
Test yourself
Q1.According to Section 88 of The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, how should a court interpret a territorial reference to the "State of Punjab" in a law passed in 1960?
Q2.Under Section 88 of the 1966 Punjab Reorganisation legislation, what effect does the reorganization have on the territories to which an existing law applies?
Q3.Who has the power to change how territorial references are construed under Section 88 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966?
Q4.If a local land rule applied to a specific village before the reorganization, how does Section 88 of The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 treat that rule after the appointed day?