Reference no: EM132533160

Statement 1: 'The duty of the court is to ascertain what was meant by the language used and to give effect to the legislative intent as expressed in the language. It is the text of the enactment which is the law and it is regarded as important both that the law should be certain and that it should be ascertainable by the citizen.'

Statement 2: 'When a defect in a legislation appears a judge cannot simply fold his hands and blame the draftsman. He must set to work on the constructive task of finding the intention of legislators, and he must do this not only from the language of the statute, but also from consideration of the social conditions which gave rise to it, and of the mischief which it was passed to remedy, and then he must supplement the written word so as to give "force and life" to the intention of the legislature.'

To what extent could you reconcile these two statements? Elaborate engaging with relevant case law.