Question

It is a well settled canon of interpretation of statutes that _______________ must be regarded as the only source of its intention.

• A. The language used by the legislature.
• B. The elucidation provided by the petitioners.
• C. The assertion of the executive.
• D. Its understanding by a reasonable man.

Hint:

Under the Literal Rule, courts have no power to rewrite laws.
"Absoluta sententia expositore non indiget" means that plain words require no explanation.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the primary and supreme source from which the intention of a statute must be drawn according to the fundamental canons of statutory interpretation.

Step 2: Key Principles and Statutory Provisions:
This relates to the Literal or Grammatical Rule of Interpretation.
According to this rule, the intention of the legislature must be gathered primarily from the actual words used in the statute.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation and Analysis:

• The primary duty of the court is to read the statute literally, giving the words their ordinary, natural, and grammatical meaning.
The legislature is presumed to say what it means and mean what it says.

• If the language used by the legislature is clear, unambiguous, and admits of only one meaning, the court must give effect to it, regardless of the consequences.
The actual language is the best indicator of legislative intent.

• Statements by petitioners (Option B) are highly partisan and do not carry statutory weight.
Executive assertions (Option C) are post-facto interpretations and cannot alter the plain text of the law.
"Reasonable man" perceptions (Option D) are useful for tort standards but cannot override the specific written language of a statute.

Step 4: Final Answer:
The language used by the legislature is the sole source of its intention when the text is clear, making Option A the correct choice.