Interpretation

154. Interpretation (1) In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires - "Chief" does not include the King but includes Principal Chief, and Headman and any other chief whose office is recognised by section 103(1) of this Constitution, and references to a Chief are references to the person who, under the law for the time being in force in that behalf, is recognised as entitled to exercise the functions of the office of that Chief; "Commonwealth" means Lesotho and any country recognised by the Commonwealth Secretariat situated in London as a member of the Commonwealth and any dependency of any such country; "court-martial" means any court-martial established by Parliament under section 127 of this Constitution; "customary law" means the customary law of Lesotho for the time being in force subject to any modification or other provision made in respect thereof by any Act of Parliament; "financial year" means the period of twelve months ending on 31st March in any year or on such other day as Parliament may prescribe; "high judicial office" means the office of a judge of a court of unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or in any country outside the Commonwealth that may be prescribed by Parliament or the office of a judge of a court having jurisdiction in appeals from such a court; "Gazette" means the Lesotho Government Gazette; "law" includes - (i) any instrument having the force of law made in exercise of a power conferred by a law; and (ii) the customary law of Lesotho and any other unwritten rule of law, and "lawful" and "lawfully" shall be construed accordingly; "local authority" means a person or body of persons established by law, responsible for the administration of local government or of local affairs, and shall include a chief; "oath" includes affirmation; Page 89 "oath of allegiance" means the oath of allegiance set out in Schedule 3 to this Constitution or such other oath as may be prescribed by Parliament; "Principal Chief" means a chief whose office is among those set out in Schedule 2 to this Constitution; "public office" means any office of emolument in the public service; "public officer" means a person holding or acting in any public office; "public service" means, subject to the provisions of this section, the service of the King in respect of the government of Lesotho; "session" means the period beginning when the two Houses of Parliament first meet after the coming into operation of this Constitution or after Parliament has at any, time been prorogued or dissolved and ending when Parliament is prorogued or when Parliament is dissolved without having been prorogued; "sitting" means, in relation to a House of Parliament, the period during which that House is sitting continuously without adjournment and includes any period during which it is in committee; "subordinate court" means any court of law established for Lesotho other than- (a) the Court of Appeal; (b) the High Court; (c) a court-martial; and (d) a tribunal exercising a judicial function. (2) Unless otherwise indicated, any reference in this Constitution to - (a) a section, Chapter or Schedule shall be read and construed as a reference to a section or Chapter of or Schedule to this Constitution; (b) a subsection shall be read and construed as a reference to a subsection of the section in which the reference is made; (c) a paragraph shall be read and construed as a reference to a paragraph of the Schedule, subsection or definition in which the reference is made. (3) In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires, references to an office in the public service shall be construed as including references to the office of a judge of Court of Appeal, of a Judge of the High Court and the office of a member of any subordinate court or tribunal (being an office the emoluments attaching to which, or any part of the emoluments attaching to which, are paid directly out of the monies provided by Parliament) but shall not be construed as including references to the office of assessor in any court. (4) In this Constitution references to a public office shall not be construed as including - Page 90 (a) references to the office of King, the Regent, the President or Speaker or the Vice- President or Deputy Speaker of either House of Parliament, the Prime Minister or any other Minister, an Assistant Minister or a member of either House of Parliament; or (b) references to the office of a member of the Public Service Commission or the Judicial Service Commission, a member of the Council of State, a Chief or a member of the College of Chiefs; or (c) save in so far as may be provided by Parliament, references to the office of a member of any other council, board, panel, committee or other similar body (whether incorporated or not) established by or under any law. (5) In this Constitution unless the context otherwise requires, (a) words and expressions importing the masculine gender include the feminine; (b) words and expressions in the singular include the plural and words and expressions in the plural include the singular; (c) where a period of time is expressed - (i) to begin on or to be reckoned from a particular day, that day shall not be included in the period; (ii) to end or to be reckoned to a particular day, that day shall be included in the period; (d) where the time limited for the doing of any thing expires or falls upon a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday the time so limited shall extend to and the thing may be done on the first following day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.