Composite Legislation

Many a time, a legislature may enact composite legislation which may be based on more than one legislative entry. There is no bar against Parliament or the State Legislatures enacting a statute, the subject matter of which falls for exercise of powers under two or more entries in the same List or different Lists. A piece of legislation need not necessarily fall within the scope of one entry alone; more than one entry may overlap to cover the subject-matter of a single piece of legislation.

The Supreme Court has observed in Ujagar Prints v. Union of India. “In deciding the validity of a law questioned on the ground of legislature incompetence the State can always show that the law was supportable under any other entry within the competence of the Legislature. Indeed in supporting a legislation sustenance could be drawn and had from a number of entries. The legislation could be composite legislation upon several entries.”