### Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance 《釋義及通則條例》

10E. Words etc. in the official languages may be declared as equivalents
(1) The Chief Executive in Council may, by notice in the Gazette, declare that any word, expression, office, title (including the short title of any Ordinance), citation or thing therein specified in one official language shall, in relation to the interpretation of an Ordinance, be the equivalent of any word, expression, office, title, citation or thing therein specified in the other official language. 
(2) No declaration shall be made under this section unless a draft of the notice has been laid before and approved by resolution of the Legislative Council, and section 34 of this Ordinance shall not apply in relation to any such declaration.
(Amended 26 of 1998 s. 37)

11. Ordinance to be public Ordinance
Every Ordinance shall be a public Ordinance and shall be judicially noticed as such.

13. Citation of Ordinance
(1) Where any Ordinance is referred to, it shall be sufficient for all purposes to cite such Ordinance by—
(a) the title, short title or citation thereof;
(b) its number among the Ordinances of the year in which it was enacted; or
(c) any chapter number lawfully given to it under the authority of—
(i) the Legislation Publication Ordinance (Cap. 614); or
(ii) any other Ordinance providing for the issue of a revised or other edition of the laws of Hong Kong. (Replaced 13 of 2011 s. 29)
(2) Any reference made to any Ordinance, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1), may be made according to the title, short title, citation, number or chapter number used in— (Amended 21 of 2020 s. 7)
(a) copies of Ordinances printed by the Government Printer; or
(b) verified copies of Ordinances. (Amended 21 of 2020 s. 7)
(3) In this section— 
verified copies (經核證文本) means verified copies within the meaning of section 5(1) of the Legislation Publication Ordinance (Cap. 614). (Added 21 of 2020 s. 7)
(Amended L.N. 57 of 1974)

### Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance 《釋義及通則條例》

15. Reference to Ordinance as amended
(1) Where in any Ordinance a reference is made to another Ordinance, such reference shall be deemed to include a reference to such last mentioned Ordinance as the same may from time to time be amended.
(2) Where any Ordinance repeals and re-enacts, with or without modification, any provision of a former Ordinance, references in any other Ordinance to the provision so repealed shall be construed as references to the provision so re-enacted.

16. Citation of part of Ordinance
In any Ordinance a description or citation of a portion of an Ordinance shall be construed as including the word, section or other part mentioned or referred to as forming the beginning and as forming the end of the portion comprised in the description or citation.

17. Construction of reference to Ordinance, section, etc.
(1) Any reference in any Ordinance to “any Ordinance” or to “any enactment” shall be construed as a reference to any Ordinance for the time being in force.
(2) Where in an Ordinance there is a reference to a section or other division by number, letter or combination of number and letter, and not in conjunction with the title or short title of any other Ordinance, the reference shall be construed as a reference to the section or other division of that number, letter or combination in the Ordinance in which the reference occurs. (Replaced 89 of 1993 s. 7)
(3) Where in a section of an Ordinance there is a reference to a subsection or other division by number, letter or combination of number and letter, and not in conjunction with the number of a section of that or any other Ordinance, the reference shall be construed as a reference to the subsection or other division of that number, letter or combination in the section in which the reference occurs. (Replaced 89 of 1993 s. 7)
(4)-(5) (Repealed 89 of 1993 s. 7)

### Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance 《釋義及通則條例》

18. Marginal notes and section headings
(1) Where any section, subsection or paragraph of any Ordinance is taken verbatim from, or is substantially similar to, a section, subsection, paragraph or other provision of any law of a place outside Hong Kong or any treaty, there may be added as a note to the section, subsection or paragraph of the Ordinance a reference, in abbreviated form, to such section, subsection, paragraph or provision of that law or treaty. (Amended 26 of 1998 s. 10)
(2) A reference added under subsection (1) shall not have any legislative effect and shall not in any way vary, limit or extend the interpretation of any Ordinance.
(3) A marginal note or section heading to any provision of any Ordinance shall not have any legislative effect and shall not in any way vary, limit or extend the interpretation of any Ordinance.
(Amended 44 of 1988 s. 2)

19. General principles of interpretation
An Ordinance shall be deemed to be remedial and shall receive such fair, large and liberal construction and interpretation as will best ensure the attainment of the object of the Ordinance according to its true intent, meaning and spirit.

20. Commencement, etc., of Ordinance
(1) An Ordinance shall be published in the Gazette.
(2) An Ordinance commences— (Amended 26 of 1998 s. 11)
(a) at the beginning of the day on which it is published; or
(b) if provision is made for it to commence on another day, at the beginning of that other day.
(3) If an Ordinance—
(a) is to commence on a day to be notified in the Gazette, the notice may fix different days—
(i) for different provisions to commence (including commence for different purposes);
(ii) for the same provisions to commence for different purposes;
(b) is to be repealed from a day to be notified in the Gazette, the notice may fix different days—
(i) from which different provisions are to be repealed (including repealed for different purposes);
(ii) from which the same provisions are to be repealed for different purposes,
and different notices may fix different days—
(i) for different provisions and for different purposes;
(ii) for the same provisions for different purposes. (Replaced 26 of 1998 s. 11)
(Replaced 89 of 1993 s. 8)