The Telangana General Clauses Act, 1891.

THE TELANGANA GENERAL CLAUSES ACT, 1891. 

(ACT NO.I OF 1891.) 

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 

Sections 

1. Short title and commencement. 

2. Saving clause. 

 CHAPTER - I. 

DEFINITIONS. 

3. Definitions. 

 CHAPTER - II. 

GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO FUTURE 
ACTS. 

4. Application of Chapter II to all future Acts. 

5. Commencement of future Acts. 

6. Making of rules and issue of orders between 
passing and Commencement of Act. 

7. Provisions regulating the making of rules after 
previous publication. 

8. Effect of repealing an Act. 

8-A. Effect of repeal of Act making textual amendment in 
previous Act. 

9. Revival of repealed enactments. 

10. Expressions used in rules, bye-laws and orders to 
have same meaning as in Act under which they are 
made or issued. 

11. Necessary extension of prescribed periods. 

 

 



2  [Act No. I of 1891] 

 CHAPTER - III. 

GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL 
ACTS. 

12. Application of Chapter III to all Acts. 

13. When powers and duties to be exercised and 
performed. 

14. Exercise of power and performance of duty by 
temporary holder of office. 

15. Revocation and alteration of rules, bye-laws and 
orders. 

16. Duty leviable pro rata. 

17. Mode of conferring powers and imposing duties. 

18. References to provisions in Acts repealed and re-
enacted. 

19. Recovery of fines. 

20. Punishment for offences under more than one 
enactment. 

21. Publication of orders and notifications in the Official 
Gazette. 

22. Determination of the times at which Acts or 
provisions of Acts extended or applied by 
Government to certain places shall come into force. 

 CHAPTER - IV. 

APPLICATION TO ORDINANCES AND 
REGULATIONS. 

23. Application of Act to Regulations and Ordinances. 

 



THE TELANGANA GENERAL CLAUSES ACT, 1891.1 
 

ACT No.I of 1891. 
 
1. (a) This Act may be called 2[the Telangana General 
Clauses Act, 1891]; and 
 
 (b) It shall come into force on the first day of January, 
1892. 
 
2. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Andhra 
Pradesh (Andhra Area) General Clauses Act, 1867, the 
provisions of that Act shall not apply to this Act or to any Act 
of the State of 2[Telangana] which may be passed 
subsequent to the commencement of this Act. 
 

CHAPTER - I. 
DEFINITIONS. 

 
3. In this Act and in every Act of the State of 2[Telangana] 
made after the commencement of this Act, unless there be 
something repugnant in the subject or context,- 
 
 (1) “abet”, with its grammatical variations and cognate 
expressions, shall have the same meaning as in the Indian 
Penal Code; 
 

                                                           
1. The Andhra Pradesh General Clauses Act, 1891 received the assent 
of the Governor on the 3rd April, 1891 and of the Governor General on 
the 14th May, 1891. The said Act in force in the combined State, as on 
02.06.2014, has been adapted to the State of Telangana, under section 
101 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (Central Act 6 of 
2014) vide. the Telangana Adaptation of Laws Order, 2016, issued in 
G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 
2. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 

Short title. 

Saving clause. 

Commencement. 

Definitions. 

“Abet” 



2  [Act No.I of 1891] 

 3[(1-a) “Andhra area” shall mean the territories of the 
State of Telangana, which immediately before the 1st 
November, 1956, were comprised in the State of Andhra; 
 
 (1-b) “Act of the State of Telangana” shall mean,- 
 
  (i) an Act made by the Governor of Fort St. George in 
Council under the Indian Councils Acts, 1861 to 1909 or any 
of those Acts or the Government of India Act, 1915, or by 
the Local Legislature or the Governor of the Presidency of 
Madras under the Government of India Act, or by the 
Provincial Legislature of Madras under the Government of 
India Act, 1935, or by the Legislature of the State of Madras 
under the Constitution immediately before the 1st October, 
1953; 
 
  (ii) an Act made by the Legislature of the State of 
Andhra; 
 
  (iii) an Act made by the Legislature of the State of 
4Telangana; 
 
  (iv) a Central Act of local application in force 
immediately before the 1st November, 1956 in the Andhra 
area; 
 
  (v) a Regulation of the Madras Code in force 
immediately before the 1st November, 1956 in the Andhra 
area;] 
 
 (2) “barrister” shall mean a barrister of England or 
Ireland or a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 
Scotland; 
 

                                                           
3. Clauses (1-a) and (1-b) substituted by Act No.IX of 1961. 
4. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 

“Barrister” 



[Act No.I of 1891]  3 

 5[(3) [XXX]] 
 
 (4) “Chapter”, “part”, “section”, and “schedule” shaII 
mean, respectively a Chapter, part and section of and 
schedule to, the Act in which the word occurs;  
 
 6[(5) [XXX]] 
 
 (6) “Collector” shall include every officer who, for the 
time being, is authorized to exercise the powers of a 
Collector; 
 
 (7) “commencement”, used with reference to an Act, 
shall mean the time at which the Act comes into force; 
 
 (8) “District Collector” shall mean the chief local officer 
in charge of the revenue administration of a district; 
 
 (9) “document” shall mean any matter expressed or 
described upon any substance by means of letters, figures 
or marks, or by more than one of those means, intended to 
be used, or which may be used, as evidence of that matter; 
 
 (10) “financial year” shall mean the year commencing 
on the first day of April; 
 
 (11) nothing is said to be done or believed in “good 
faith” which is done or believed without due care and 
attention; 
 
 7[(12) [XXX]] 
 
 
 
                                                           
5. Clause (3) omitted by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 
6. Clause (5) omitted by Act No.IX of 1961. 
7. Clause (12) omitted by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 

“Chapter”  
“Part”  
“Section”  
and  
“Schedule”. 

“Collector” 

“Commence-
ment” 

“District Collector” 

“Document” 

“Financial year” 

“Good faith” 



4  [Act No.I of 1891] 

 8[(13) [XXX]] 
 
 (14) “immovable property” shall include land, benefits 
to arise out of land, and things attached to the earth, or 
permanently fastened to anything attached to the earth; 
 
 (15) “imprisonment” shall mean imprisonment of either 
description as defined in the Indian Penal Code; 
 
 9[(15-A) [XXX]] 
 
 (16) “judicial proceeding” shall mean any proceeding 
in the course of which evidence is, or may be, legally taken; 
 
 (17) “local authority” shall mean a Municipal 
Committee, District Board, body of Port Commissioners or 
other authority legally entitled to, or entrusted by the 
Government with, the control or management of a municipal 
or local fund; 
 
 10[(17-A) [XXX]] 
 
 (18) “Magistrate” shall mean any person exercising all 
or any of the powers of a Magistrate under the Code of 
Criminal Procedure, 188211; 
 
 (19) “movable property” shall mean property of every 
description except immovable property; 
 

                                                           
8. Clause (13) omitted by the Adaptation of Laws (Amendment) Order, 
1950. 
9. Clause (15-A) omitted by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 
10. Clause (17-A) omitted by Act No.IX of 1961. 
11. See now the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 
1974). 

“Immovable 
property” 

“Imprisonment” 

“Judicial 
Proceeding” 

“Local Authority” 

“Magistrate” 

“Movable 
Property” 



[Act No.I of 1891]  5 

 (20) “oath”, “swear” and “affidavit” shall include 
affirmation and declaration in the case of persons by law 
allowed to affirm or declare instead of swearing; 
 
 
 (21) “offence” shall mean any act or omission made 
punishable by any law for the time being in force; 
 
 (22) “person” shall include any company or association 
of individuals, whether incorporated or not; 
 
 (23) “place” includes also a house, building, tent and 
vessel; 
 
 12[(24) [XXX]] 
 
 13[(25) [XXX]] 
 
 (26) “public” includes any class of the public or any 
community; 
 
 (27) “public nuisance” shall have the meaning 
assigned to that expression in section 268 of the Indian 
Penal Code; 
 
 14[(28) “registered” used with reference to a document, 
shall mean registered in 15[India] under the law for the time 
being in force for the registration of documents;] 
 
 (29) “sign”, with its grammatical variations and cognate 
expressions, shall with reference to a person who is unable 

                                                           
12. Clause (24) omitted by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 
13. Clause (25) omitted by Act No.IX of 1961. 
14. This clause substituted by Adaptation of Laws (Amendment) Order, 
1950. 
15. Substituted for the words and letters “a Part A State or a Part C 
State” by the Andhra Adaptation of Laws Order, 1957. 

“oath”,  

“swear”  

and  

“affidavit” 

“Offence” 

“Person” 

“Place” 

“Public” 

“Public Nuisance” 

“Registered” 

“Sign” 



6  [Act No.I of 1891] 

to write his name include “mark” with its grammatical 
variations and cognate expressions; 
 
 (30) in the case of any one whose personal law permits 
adoption, “son” shall include an adopted son, and “father” 
an adoptive father; 
 
 16[(30-a) “State” shall mean,- 
 
  (i) the whole of the State of 17Telangana in the case of 
an Act which extends to the whole of the said State; and 
 
  (ii) the Andhra area in the case of an Act which 
extends only to that area;] 
 
 (31) “sub-section” shall mean a sub-section of the 
section in which the word occurs; 
 
 (32) “Value”, used with reference to a suit, shall mean 
the amount or value of the subject-matter of the suit, 
computed according the law for the time being in force 
regulating the valuation of suits for purposes of jurisdiction; 
 
 (33) “will” shall include a codicil and every writing 
making a voluntary posthumous distribution of property; 
 
 (34) words importing the masculine gender shall 
include females; 
 
 (35) words in the singular shall include the plural, and 
words in the plural shall include in the singular; 
 
 (36) words which refer to acts done extend also to 
illegal omissions; 
                                                           
16. Clause (30-a) inserted by Act No.IX of 1961. 
17. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 
01.06.2016. 

“Son and father” 

“Sub-section” 

“Value” 

“Will” 

“Gender” 

“Number” 

“Illegal omissions” 



[Act No.I of 1891]  7 

 (37) “writing” with its grammatical variations and 
cognate expressions, shall include „printing‟ „lithography‟, 
“photography”, with their grammatical variations and 
cognate expressions, and other modes of representing or 
reproducing words in a visible form; 
 
 (38) “year” and “month” shall, respectively, mean a 
year and month reckoned according to the British calendar. 
 
18[3-A. [XXX]] 
 

CHAPTER - II. 
GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO FUTURE ACTS. 

 
4. This Chapter shall apply to all 19[Acts of the State of 
20Telangana] made after the commencement of this Act, 
unless a contrary intention appears in such Acts. 
 
21[5. 22[(1) Where any Act to which this Chapter applies is 
not expressed to come into operation on a particular day, 
then, it shall come into operation on the day on which the 
assent thereto of the Governor, the Governor General or the 
President, as the case may require, is first published in the 
Official Gazette.] 
 
 (2) In every such Act the date of such publication as 
aforesaid shall be printed either above or below the title of 
the Act and shall form part of the Act.] 
 

                                                           
18. Section 3-A omitted by Act No.IX of 1961. 
19. Substituted by Act No.IX of 1961. 
20. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 
01.06.2016. 
21. This section was substituted for the original section by the 
Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 
22. Sub-section (1) substituted by the Adaptation of Laws (Amendment) 
Order, 1950. 

“Writing” 

“Year and month” 

Application of 
Chapter II to all 
future Acts. 

Commencement 
of future Acts. 



8  [Act No.I of 1891] 

6. Where, by an Act to which this Chapter applies and 
which is not to come into force immediately on the passing 
thereof, a power is conferred on Government or other 
authority to make rules, or to issue orders, with respect to 
the application of the Act, or with respect to the appointment 
of any officer thereunder, such power may be exercised at 
any time after the passing of the Act but rules or orders so 
made or issued shall not take effect till the commencement 
of the Act. 
 
7. Where, by an Act to which this Chapter applies, a 
power to make rules is expressed to be given, subject to the 
condition of the rules being made after previous publication, 
the following provisions shall apply, namely:- 
 
 (a) the authority having the power to make the rules 
shall, before making them, publish a draft of the proposed 
rules; 
 
 (b) the publication shall be made in such manner as 
that authority deems to be sufficient, or, if the condition with 
respect to previous publication so requires, in such manner 
as the 23[Central Government or, as the case may be, the 
24[State] Government] prescribes; 
 
 (c) there shall be published with the draft a notice 
specifying a date at or after which the draft will be taken into 
consideration; 
 
 (d) the authority having power to make the rules, and, 
where the rules are to be made with the sanction, approval 
or concurrence of another authority, that authority also, shall 
consider any objection or suggestion which may be 

                                                           
23. These words were substituted for the word “Government” by the 
Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 
24. “State” substituted for the word “Provincial” by the Adaptation of 
Laws Order, 1950. 

Making of rules 
and issue of 
orders between 
passing and 
Commencement 
of Act. 

Provisions 
regulating the 
making of rules 
after previous 
publication. 

Publication of 
draft rules. 

Manner of 
publication. 

Notice to 
accompany draft 
rules. 

Consideration of 
suggestion in 
regard to draft 
rules. 



[Act No.I of 1891]  9 

received by the authority having power to make the rules 
from any person with respect to the draft, before the date so 
specified; 
 
 (e) the publication in the 25[Official Gazette] of a rule 
purporting to have been made in exercise of a power to 
make rules after previous publication, shall be conclusive 
proof that the rule has been duly made. 
 
8. Where any Act, to which this Chapter applies, repeals 
any other enactment, then the repeal shall not,- 
 
 (a) affect anything done or any offence committed, or 
any fine or penalty incurred or any proceedings begun 
before the commencement of the repealing Act; or 
 
 (b) revive anything not in force or existing at the time at 
which the repeal takes effect; or 
 
 (c) affect the previous operation of any enactment so 
repealed or anything duly done or suffered under any 
enactment so repealed; or 
 
 (d) affect, any right, privilege, obligation or liability 
acquired, accrued or incurred under any enactment so 
repealed; or 
 
 (e) affect any fine, penalty, forfeiture or punishment 
incurred in respect of any offence committed against any 
enactment so repealed; or 
 
 (f) affect any investigation, legal proceeding or remedy 
in respect of any such right, privilege, obligation, liability, 
fine, penalty, forfeiture or punishment as aforesaid; and any 

                                                           
25. These words were substituted for the words “Fort St.George 
Gazette” by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 

Publication to be 
proof of due 
making of rules. 

Effect of repealing 
an Act. 



10  [Act No.I of 1891] 

such investigation, legal proceeding or remedy may be 
instituted, continued or enforced, and any such fine, 
penalty, forfeiture or punishment may be imposed as if the 
repealing Act had not been passed. 
 
26[8-A. Where any Act to which this Chapter applies, repeals 
any enactment by which the text of any previous enactment 
was amended by the express omission, insertion or 
substitution of any matter, then, unless a different intention 
appears, the repeal shall not affect the continuance of any 
such amendment made by the enactment so repealed and 
in operation at the time of such repeal.] 
 
9. In any Act to which this Chapter applies,- 
 
 (a) for the purpose of reviving, either wholly or partially, 
an Act or Regulation, wholly or partially repealed, it shall be 
necessary expressly to state such purpose; 
 
 (b) for the purpose of excluding the first in a series of 
days or any other period of time, it shall be sufficient to use 
the word “from”; 
 
 (c) for the purpose of including the last in a series of 
days or any other period of time, it shall be sufficient to use 
the word “to”; 
 
 (d) for the purpose of expressing that a law relative to 
the chief or superior of an office shall apply to the deputies 
or subordinates lawfully executing the duties of such office 
in the place of their superior it shall be sufficient to prescribe 
the duty of the superior; 
 

                                                           
26. Section 8-A was inserted by the Madras General Clauses 
(Amendment) Act 1936 (Madras Act IV of 1937).  

Effect of repeal of 
Act making textual 
amendment in 
previous Act. 

Revival of 
repealed 
enactments. 

Commencement 
of term. 

Termination of 
term. 

Application to 
subordinates of 
law relating to 
official superiors. 



[Act No.I of 1891]  11 

 (e) for the purpose of indicating the relation of a law to 
the successors of any functionaries, or of corporations 
having perpetual succession, it shall be sufficient to express 
its relation to the functionaries or corporations; and 
 
 (f) for the purpose of indicating the application of a law 
to every person or number of persons for the time being 
executing the functions of an office, it shall be sufficient to 
mention the official title of the officer at present executing 
such functions, or that of the officer by whom the functions 
are commonly executed. 
 
10. Where an Act, to which this Chapter applies, confers 
power to make rules or bye-laws or to issue orders, 
expressions used in such rules, bye-laws or orders, have the 
same respective meanings as in the Act conferring the 
power. 
 
 
11. Where, by an Act to which this Chapter applies, any act 
or proceeding is directed or allowed to be done or taken in 
a Court or office on a certain day or within a prescribed 
period, then, if the Court or office is closed on that day or 
the last day of the prescribed period, the act or proceedings 
shall be considered as done or taken in due time if it is done 
or taken on the next day afterwards on which the Court or 
office is open. 
 
 This section does not apply to any act or proceeding to 
which 27[the Indian Limitation Act, 1908] applies. 
 
 
 
 
 

                                                           
27. Substituted by Act No.IX of 1961. 

Expressions used 
in rules, bye-laws 
and orders to 
have same 
meaning as in Act 
under which they 
are made or 
issued. 

Application of law 
to successors of 
functionaries and 
corporations. 

Application of law 
to persons for 
time being filling 
an office. 

Necessary 
extension of 
prescribed 
periods. 



12  [Act No.I of 1891] 

CHAPTER - III. 
GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL ACTS. 

 
12. This Chapter shall apply to all 28[Acts of the State of 
29Telangana] unless a contrary intention appears in any 
such Act, but it shall not affect anything done or 
commenced prior to the commencement of this Act under 
any enactment now in force. 
 
13. Where an Act confers a power or imposes a duty, then 
the power may be exercised and the duty shall be 
performed from time to time as occasion requires. 
 
14. Where an Act confers a power or imposes a duty on 
the holder of an office, as such, then the power may be 
exercised and the duty shall be performed by the holder for 
the time being of the office. 
 
15. Where an Act confers a power to make any rules or 
bye-laws, or to issue orders, the power shall be construed 
as including a power exercisable in the like manner and 
subject to the like consent and conditions, if any, to rescind, 
revoke, amend or vary the rules, bye-laws or orders. 
 
16. Whenever by an Act any duty of customs or excise or 
in the nature thereof is leviable on any given quantity, by 
weight, measure or value, of any goods or merchandise, a 
like duty shall be leviable according to the same rate on any 
greater or less quantity. 
 
17. Whenever by an Act authority is given to confer powers 
or impose duties, such powers may be conferred or duties 
imposed by name or by office or on classes of officials 
generaIIy by their official titles. 
                                                           
28. Substituted by Act No.IX of 1961. 
29. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 
01.06.2016. 

Application of 
Chapter III to all 
Acts. 

When powers and 
duties to be 
exercised and 
performed. 

Exercise of power 
and performance 
of duty by 
temporary holder 
of office. 

Revocation and 
alteration of rules, 
bye-laws and 
orders. 

Duty leviable pro 
rata. 

Mode of 
conferring powers 
and imposing 
duties. 



[Act No.I of 1891]  13 

18. Where an Act repeals and re-enacts, with or without 
modification, aII or any of the provisions of a former Act, 
references in any other Act to the provisions so repealed 
shall be construed as references to the provisions so re-
enacted, and if notifications have been published, 
proclamations or certificates issued, powers conferred, 
forms prescribed, local limits defined, offices established, 
orders, rules and appointments made, engagements 
entered into, licences or permits granted, and other things 
duly done, under the provisions so repealed, the same shall 
be deemed, so far as the same are consistent with the 
provisions so re-enacted, to have been respectively 
published, issued, conferred, prescribed, defined, 
established, made, entered into, granted or done under the 
provisions so re-enacted. 
 
19. The provisions of sections 63, 68, 69 and 70 of the 
Indian Penal Code shall apply to all fines imposed under the 
authority of any Act. 
 
20. Where an act or omission constitutes an offence under 
two or more enactments, the offender shall be liable to be 
prosecuted and punished under either or any of those 
enactments, but shall not be liable to be punished twice for 
the same act or omission. 
 
21. Where in any Act, or in any rule passed under any Act, 
it is directed that any order, notification or other matter shall 
be notified or published, such notification or publication 
shall, unless the Act otherwise provides, be deemed to be 
duly made if it is published in the 30[Official Gazette]. 
 
 

                                                           
30. These words were substituted for the words “Fort St.George 
Gazette” by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 

References to 
provisions in Acts 
repealed and re-
enacted. 

Recovery of fines. 

Central Act 45 of 1860. 

Punishment for 
offences under 
more than one 
enactment. 

Publication of 
orders and 
notifications in the 
Official Gazette. 



14  [Act No.I of 1891] 

22. When, by an Act any Government is empowered to 
extend or apply an Act or any provision of an Act to any 
place in, or to any portion of, the 31[State] the Government 
may, in any order extending or applying such Act or 
provision or in a subsequent order, notify the time at which 
the same shall come into force in the place or portion of the 
31[State] to which it is so extended or applied; and, unless it 
is otherwise provided in the Act, [the Government] may, by 
notification in the 32[Official Gazette] from time to time 
postpone the time at which the Act or provision shall come 
into force in such place or portion of the 31[State] or cancel 
the order for extending or applying the same to such place 
or portion of the 31[State]: 
 
 Provided that no order postponing the time at which an 
Act or provision shall come into force, or cancelling an order 
for extending or applying the same, shall be made after the 
Act or provision has actually come into force in the place or 
portion of the 31[State] to which such order relates. 
 

33CHAPTER - IV. 
APPLICATION TO ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS. 

 
34[23. The provisions of this Act shall apply,- 
 
 (a) in relation to any Regulation made by the Governor 
under section 92 of the Government of India Act, 1935, in 
like manner as they apply in relation to 35[the Acts made by 

                                                           
31. The word “State” was substituted for “Province” by the Adaptation of 
Laws Order, 1950. 
32. These words were substituted for the words “Fort St.George 
Gazette” by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 
33. Chapter IV was inserted by Adaptation of Laws Order, 1937. 
34. Substituted for the original section 23 by the Adaptation of Laws 
(Amendment) Order, 1950. 
35. Substituted for the words “Madras Acts made by the Provincial 
Legislature” by Act No.IX of 1961). 

Determination of 
the times at which 
Acts or provisions 
of Acts extended 
or applied by 
Government to 
certain places 
shall come into 
force. 

Application of Act 
to Regulations 
and Ordinances. 

Proviso. 



[Act No.I of 1891]  15 

the Provincial Legislature referred to in item (i) of clause  
(1-b) of section 3]; and 
 
 (b) in relation to any Ordinance promulgated by the 
Governor under article 213 of the Constitution or any 
Regulation made by him under paragraph 5 of the Fifth 
Schedule to the Constitution, in like manner as they apply in 
relation to 36[the Acts] made by the State Legislature: 
 
 Provided that sub-section (1) of section 5 of this Act 
shall apply to any Ordinance referred to in clause (b) as if 
the reference in that sub-section to the day of the first 
publication of the assent to an Act in the Official Gazette 
were a reference instead to the day of the first publication of 
the Ordinance in that Gazette.] 
 

* * * 

                                                           
36. Substituted by Act No.IX of 1961. 


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