Constitution of the Republic of Singapore
—(1) Immediately after any Bill to which this Article applies
- Jurisdiction
- Singapore
- Provision
- 78
- Source language
- English
- Recorded status
- in force
More details
- Recorded status
- in force
Provision text
Official source78.—(1) Immediately after any Bill to which this Article applies
has been given a final reading and passed by Parliament and before it
is presented to the President for assent, the Speaker shall cause an
authenticated copy of the Bill to be sent to the Council.
(2) The Council shall consider the Bill and shall, within 30 days of
the date on which the Bill was sent to the Council, make a report to
the Speaker stating whether or not in the opinion of the Council any
and, if so, which provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a
differentiating measure.
(3) Whenever after the receipt of an adverse report from the
Council, the Bill to which it relates is amended by Parliament, the
Speaker shall cause the Bill in its amended form to be sent again to
the Council.
(4) On the application of the Chairman, the Speaker may extend, as
he thinks fit, the period of 30 days prescribed by clause (2), where he
considers it proper to do so on account of the length or complexity of
any Bill or the number of matters for the time being under
consideration by the Council or for any sufficient reason.
(5) The Speaker shall cause every report received by him from the
Council in pursuance of clause (2) to be presented to Parliament
without undue delay. Where the Speaker receives no such report on
the Bill within the time provided in clause (2), or any extension
thereof granted under clause (4), it shall be conclusively presumed
that the Council is of the opinion that no provision of the Bill would,
if enacted, be a differentiating measure.
(6) No Bill to which this Article applies shall be presented to the
President for assent unless it is accompanied by a certificate under the
hand of the Speaker stating that —
(a) in the opinion of the Council no provision of the Bill
would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure;
(b) no report having been received from the Council within the
time prescribed or any extension thereof, the Council is
presumed to be of the opinion that no provision of the Bill
would, if enacted, be a differentiating measure; or
(c) notwithstanding the opinion of the Council that some
specified provision of the Bill would, if enacted, be a
differentiating measure, a motion for the presentation of
the Bill to the President for assent has been passed by not
less than two-thirds of the total number of Members of
Parliament (excluding nominated Members).
[28/2016]
(7) This Article shall not apply to —
(a) a Money Bill;
(b) a Bill certified by the Prime Minister as being one which
affects the defence or the security of Singapore or which
relates to public safety, peace or good order in Singapore;
or
(c) a Bill certified by the Prime Minister to be so urgent that it
is not in the public interest to delay its enactment.
(8) A Bill shall be deemed to be a Money Bill if the Speaker
certifies in writing that, in his opinion, it is a Bill to which the
definition of “Money Bill” contained in Article 68 applies. No Money
Bill shall be presented to the President for assent, unless it is
accompanied by the Speaker’s certificate which shall be conclusive
for all purposes and shall not be open to question in any court.
Functions of Council in regard to Bills enacted on a certificate
of urgency
Source record
Source and verification
Constitution of the Republic of Singapore · sso.agc.gov.sg · Retrieved 18 August 2026.
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