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CA Intermediate · Corporate and Other Laws · Interpretation of Statutes

A statute lists 'cars, buses, trucks, and other vehicles' as items subject to a parking levy. Meera's company parks a tractor-trolley in the area, and the authority demands the levy. Meera argues the tractor-trolley is not covered. Applying the ejusdem generis rule, what is the position?

Under ejusdem generis, the general words 'other vehicles' take their meaning from the specific words before them and cover only things of the same kind as cars, buses and trucks. The tractor-trolley is covered only if it belongs to that class, not automatically.

  1. AThe general words 'other vehicles' are limited to things of the same kind as cars, buses and trucks, so the question turns on whether a tractor-trolley belongs to that classCorrect
  2. BThe levy applies to every conceivable vehicle because 'other' extends the meaning without limit
  3. CThe levy cannot apply to any item other than cars, buses and trucks since the list is exhaustive
  4. DThe levy applies only if Parliament, and not a State legislature, enacted the statute

Explanation

Ejusdem generis restricts general words following specific words to the same genus as the specific words. So 'other vehicles' means vehicles of the kind listed (motor road vehicles), and the court asks whether the tractor-trolley falls in that class. Reading it as unlimited ignores the rule, and reading it as exhaustive ignores the words 'other vehicles'.

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