Difference Between Act and Law – Law vs Act
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 14th, 2023
There are significant differences between Act and Law, even though people use the terms interchangeably. They are both intrinsically different, and the main Difference Between Law vs Act is that laws govern the day-to-day affairs of society, and any layperson can understand them. On the other hand, acts are subject-specific and pertain to a specific issue. Acts are specific in nature, whereas laws are more generic.
Difference Between Act and Law PDF
An act aims to declare people about rules in certain situations. In contrast, Laws are made to protect people from unfair practices. An act tells individuals about particular laws or rules, whereas a law can be constraining and protective. In this article, we have covered more information about the difference between Act and Law in detail.
Table of content
Difference Between Act and Law
Acts proclaim why and how laws should be obeyed, and laws indicate what ought to be accomplished and what does not. We have mentioned the key Difference Between Act and Law in the table below.
Law vs Act
| Difference Between Act and Law | |
| Act | Law |
| The legislature creates an act to address a specific issue. It includes provisions that are pertinent to it. | Standards of law govern the actions of any community. |
| Acts are specific – it has a target population and a particular issue to address. | Laws are mostly generic. |
| Acts are made within the framework of the law. | Laws are already established. |
| A bill becomes an act when passed in the Parliament or equivalent.
Here, the Parliament is formed and guided by some laws and rules of procedure. |
Laws provide the framework for converting a bill into an act.
For instance, constitutional law defines how to introduce a bill in the Parliament, the procedure of voting, quorum, minimum votes required to make it a law, and amendment procedures. |
| Sometimes, acts amend existing laws. | Laws instituted the procedure to amend them via addition, modification or repeal.
For instance, Article 368 of the Constitution of India deals with the amendment. |
| An act, being subject-specific, requires the use of complex terminologies and jargon.
It might not go well with a layperson. |
Laws are easy to comprehend, and any layperson can understand them. |
| An act cannot be enforced until it is made a law.
For instance, the Consumer Protection Act 2019 is not enforceable unless the eight draft rules come into force. |
A law is regulatory in itself. |
| An act outlines its objectives, why people should follow it, how to implement it, and provides a framework to make relevant laws or rules out of it. | As Kelsen opines, the law is merely concerned with what to do and what not to do. |
| Acts are informative.
They inform people about specific laws or rules. |
Laws are both restrictive and protective.
On the one hand, it restricts people from doing something, and on the other, it protects the rights and liberty of the people and maintains public order and social harmony. |
Act and Law
Law is a set of rules designed to control and guide people’s behaviour in accordance with societal norms. Laws protect individual rights and maintain public order. Laws are more generic, and they are not difficult to understand. The term act refers to a bill passed by the legislature.
What is Act?
A bill becomes an act when the Parliament or equivalent passes it through an established procedure. An act is a piece of legislation that enacts new or amends existing laws.
Moreover, an act concentrates on a specific topic and might include several laws.
- Acts are a subdivision of the law.
- An Act may occasionally create rules and legislation in particular industries.
What is Law?
The definition of a law is a collection of requirements that must be followed and abided with. The bigger picture is within the lone jurisdiction of the law. A law approved by the relevant legislature, such as a state’s legislative assembly or India’s parliament, is called an act.
- Law makes sure that people follow the accepted standards and guidelines.
- An example of difference Between Act and Law is the foundation and operation of firms and corporations in India are governed by the Indian Companies Act of 1956.
Conclusion:
Key Difference Between Act and Law
The key Difference Between Act and Law is that an Act is subject-specific that requires the utilization of complex terminologies and nomenclature. In contrast, a Law is primarily generic and can be easily understood by anyone.
