Law
Act in Law #
An Act is a law that is passed by the legislature, law makers. It is also known as a statute. However, most laws are not complete code in themselves, i.e. certain provisions as to their application or enforcement, etc. are deliberately left out by the legislature due to which rules come into the picture. For example- Companies Act 2013 is an Act. It has several rules governing its operations such as Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014
Rule in Law #
A Rule is a subsidiary enactment that helps in governing law. They are secondary in nature, meaning thereby that they don’t have an independent existence of their own. They are made to make the parent Act function. The rules provide for the details that have not been provided for in the Act, however, Rules by no means can go beyond the power conferred by the ACT, or extend the same.
Section in Law #
A section refers to a distinct portion or provision of a legal code or set of laws, often establishing a particular legal requirement. For example- Section 5 of the Indian Contract Act.
“Section” is used in the context of legislations, not the Constitution. For instance Section 28 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. “Sub-section” is used to refer to a part of the Section. For instance, section 28(1) can be called section 28, sub-section 1. ref
Provision in Law #
A provision is a general term used to describe any specific clause, paragraph, or section within a legal document. It outlines a particular rule, condition, or arrangement. Provisions can cover a wide range of topics, including definitions, obligations, procedures, penalties, and more.
- They are typically numbered sequentially for easy reference and citation.
In India, “provision” is a general term, which can mean any of the following - article/section/sub-section/clause/sub-clause/etc. For instance, I can say that a provision in the Constitution protects right to life (Article 21). Similarly, there are a few provisions in the CrPC that prohibit illegal arrest. ref
Article in Law #
On the other hand, “Article” is specific to the Constitution. It is only used in that context. It is generally understood that if you say Article XYZ, it means you are referring to that particular provision of the Constitution. (See how I used the word “provision” here). For instance, Article 21, or Article 19.
An article, on the other hand, is a term commonly used to refer to a major division or a specific part within a legal document, particularly constitutions and international treaties. Articles are usually designated by numbers or roman numerals and are often organized thematically. Each article may contain multiple provisions that collectively address various aspects of the subject matter.
Clause in Law #
“Clause”, in the context of the Constitution, means when you are referring to a sub-Article. For instance, Article 15(3) can be said as Article 15, clause 3. “Clause” is the most commonly used term in this context; I have never heard anyone say “sub-article”.
Clause, generally, can also have the same meaning as provision, but if said in the context of the Constitution, the aforementioned definition will apply.
Sub-clause in Law #
“Sub-clause” is used only in the context of the constitution. Sub-clause means sub-sub article, for instance, Article 352(8)(a) can be said as Article 352, clause 8, sub-clause a.
Regulation in Law #
Regulations are not laws themselves, but are legal directives written to explain how to implement statutes or laws.
ref
a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.