Justice S.R. Das pertinently observed in Rananjaya Singh v. Baijnath Singh, (1954) 2 SCC 314, “The spirit of the law may well be an elusive and unsafe guide and the supposed spirit can certainly not be given effect to in opposition to the plain language of the Sections of the Act.”
In other words, the so-called ‘spirit of the law’ is an indeterminate construct, whose nature renders it subjective and susceptible to varied interpretations depending on personal predilections of those tasked with interpreting it. Therefore, it is almost unattainable as a definitive guide, especially in face of or when put in opposition to unambiguous, clear and plain language used in a particular provision. When language is unambiguous, Courts must respect its ordinary and natural meaning instead of wandering into realm of speculation and unintended overreach invoking the so-called ‘spirit of the law’.
– Hon’ble Justice Hrishikesh Roy, Independent Sugar Corporation v. Girish Sriram Juneja, [Civil Appeal No. 6071 of 2023].
