Rule of Ejusdem Generis

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Chapter I Introduction Rule of ejusdem generis is one of the general principals of interpretation. Since the interpretation cannot be done capriciously, fancifully or arbitrarily by the court through the power of interpretation is vested with the judiciary, some general principals have been laid to be followed by judiciary at the time of unravelling the meaning of the statute as a general rule, the general words are constructed in their natural connotation unless the language of the statue otherwise requires. But sometimes, the general words may be the successors of the preceding distinct genus. Thus the general words are restricted to be interpreted as the contextual associates of the preceding distinct category. The general words, in such context will take their colour and connotation from the preceding particular words because the legislative intendment in using those particular words was distinct. The term ejusdem generis means “of the same kind” where a serious of words are employed in the language of the provision constitute a particular class or category or genus and they are followed by a general word, then the meaning of such general word is limited to that class or category only. To explain it further, if a number of enumerations belonging to the same genus are used in a provision, the meaning of the general word following then gets restricted to that genus itself. According to lord Halsbury “there are rules of construction now firmly established as a part of law.one id that words, however general, may be limited in respect of subject matter in relation to which they are used. The other is that the general word may be restricted to the same generis as the specific words precede them.” According to the Black's Law Dictionarythe principle of Ejusdem Generis is where general words follow an enumeration of persons or things, by words of a particular and
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