Constitution of the Republic of Singapore
—(1) The President may, acting in his discretion, withhold
- Jurisdiction
- Singapore
- Provision
- 148A
- Source language
- English
- Recorded status
- in force
More details
- Recorded status
- in force
Provision text
Official source148A.—(1) The President may, acting in his discretion, withhold
his assent to any Supply Bill, Supplementary Supply Bill or Final
Supply Bill for any financial year if, in his opinion, the estimates of
revenue and expenditure for that year, the supplementary estimates or
the statement of excess, as the case may be, are likely to lead to a
drawing on the reserves which were not accumulated by the
Government during its current term of office, except that if the
President assents to any such Bill notwithstanding his opinion that the
estimates, supplementary estimates or statement of excess are likely
to lead to a drawing on those reserves, the President shall state his
opinion in writing addressed to the Speaker and shall cause his
opinion to be published in the Gazette.
(2) If the President withholds his assent to any Supply Bill,
Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill relating to any
financial year and no resolution to overrule the President is passed by
Parliament under Article 37IF within 30 days of such withholding of
assent, Parliament may by resolution authorise expenditure or
supplementary expenditure, as the case may be, (not otherwise
authorised by law) from the Consolidated Fund and Development
Fund during that financial year:
Provided that —
(a) where the President withholds his assent to a Supply Bill,
the expenditure so authorised for any service or purpose for
that financial year (which shall include any amount
authorised under Article 148B(4)) shall not exceed the
total amount appropriated for that service or purpose in the
preceding financial year; or
(b) where the President withholds his assent to a
Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill, the
expenditure so authorised for any service or purpose
shall not exceed the amount necessary to replace an
amount advanced from any Contingencies Fund under
Article 148C(1) for that service or purpose.
[28/2016]
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of the proviso to clause (2),
the total amount appropriated for any service or purpose in any
financial year shall be ascertained by adding the sums appropriated
for such service or purpose by the Supply law, Supplementary Supply
law and Final Supply law (if any) for that financial year.
(3A) Upon the passing of a resolution under clause (2), the Minister
responsible for finance shall introduce in Parliament a Supply Bill,
Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill, as the case may be,
containing, under appropriate heads, the sums so voted on by
Parliament.
(4) In forming his opinion under clause (1) in relation to any
Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill, the President shall
not have regard to any amount for any service or purpose included in
the Supplementary Supply Bill or Final Supply Bill which is to
replace any amount advanced from any Contingencies Fund under
Article 148C(1).
Power to authorise expenditure on account, etc., or for
unspecified purposes
Source record
Source and verification
Constitution of the Republic of Singapore · sso.agc.gov.sg · Retrieved 18 August 2026.
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