Retrospective Law - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition retrospective-law

Definition :

Retrospective law, retrospective means looking backward; contemplating what is past; having reference to a statute or things existing before the Act in question. Retrospective law, according to the same dictionary, means a law which looks back-ward or contemplates the past; one which is made to affect acts or facts occurring, or rights occurring, before it came into force. Every statute which takes away or impairs vested rights acquired under existing laws, or creates a new obligation, imposes a new duty, or attaches a new disability in respect to transactions or considerations already past. Retroactive statute means a statute which creates a new obligation on transactions or considerations already past or destroys or impairs vested rights, Darshan Singh v. Ram Pal Singh, AIR 1991 SC 1654: (1992) Supp 1 SCC 191.