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The Mischief Rule from *Heydon's Case* may be applied only when certain conditions are met. According to the Supreme Court in *Sodra Devi's case*, when does the rule cease to be controlling?
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D.
1. The Supreme Court in **Sodra Devi's case, AIR 1957 S.C. 832** held that the **rule in *Heydon's Case* is applicable only when the words in question are ambiguous and are reasonably capable of more than one meaning**.
2. The correct principle is that after the words have been construed in their context and it is found that the language is **capable of bearing only one construction**, the **rule in Heydon's case ceases to be controlling and gives way to the plain meaning rule**.
3. So Mischief Rule is a tie-breaker for ambiguity, not a license to depart from clear language.
4. Options B, C and D invent conditions absent from the constitutional jurisprudence.
_Source: ICSI CS Executive — Lesson 3, 'The Mischief Rule or Heydon's Rule', pp. 86-87._
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