Constitution of the Republic of Singapore
—(1) If the President is satisfied that a grave emergency exists
- Jurisdiction
- Singapore
- Provision
- 150
- Source language
- English
- Recorded status
- in force
More details
- Recorded status
- in force
Provision text
Official source150.—(1) If the President is satisfied that a grave emergency exists
whereby the security or economic life of Singapore is threatened, he
may issue a Proclamation of Emergency.
(2) If a Proclamation of Emergency is issued when Parliament is
not sitting, the President shall summon Parliament as soon as
practicable, and may, until Parliament is sitting, promulgate
ordinances having the force of law, if satisfied that immediate
action is required.
(3) A Proclamation of Emergency and any ordinance promulgated
under clause (2) shall be presented to Parliament and, if not sooner
revoked, shall cease to have effect if a resolution is passed by
Parliament annulling such Proclamation or ordinance, but without
prejudice to anything previously done by virtue thereof or to the
power of the President to issue a new Proclamation under clause (1)
or promulgate any ordinance under clause (2).
(4) Subject to clause (5)(b), while a Proclamation of Emergency is
in force, Parliament may, notwithstanding anything in this
Constitution, make laws with respect to any matter, if it appears to
Parliament that the law is required by reason of the emergency; and
any provision of this Constitution (except Articles 22E, 22H, 144(2)
and 148A) or of any written law which requires any consent or
concurrence to the passing of a law or any consultation with respect
thereto, or which restricts the coming into force of a law after it is
passed or the presentation of a Bill to the President for his assent,
shall not apply to a Bill for such a law or an amendment to such a Bill.
(5) (a) Subject to paragraph (b), no provision of any ordinance
promulgated under this Article, and no provision of any Act which is
passed while a Proclamation of Emergency is in force and which
declares that the law appears to Parliament to be required by reason of
the emergency, shall be invalid on the ground of inconsistency with
any provision of this Constitution.
(b) Paragraph (a) shall not validate any provision inconsistent
with —
(i) [Deleted by Act 28 of 2016]
(ii) [Deleted by Act 28 of 2016]
(iii) the provisions of this Constitution relating to religion,
citizenship or language.
[28/2016]
(6) At the expiration of a period of 6 months beginning with the
date on which a Proclamation of Emergency ceases to be in force, any
ordinance promulgated in pursuance of the Proclamation and, to the
extent that it could not have been validly made but for this Article,
any law made while the Proclamation was in force, shall cease to have
effect, except as to things done or omitted to be done before the
expiration of that period.
Restrictions on preventive detention
Source record
Source and verification
Constitution of the Republic of Singapore · sso.agc.gov.sg · Retrieved 18 August 2026.
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