Golden Rule in Penal Statutes: A Critical Study of Judicial Interpretation in Criminal Cases

In the criminal jurisprudence, the interpretation of statutes serves as the bridge between legislative intent and the delivery of justice. While the Literal Rule remains the primary tool for interpreting penal provisions given the necessity for strict construction, it occasionally leads to outcomes that are "manifestly absurd" or "unjust. This paper examines the Golden Rule, which functions as a judicial safety valve to modify the literal meaning of words to avoid such absurdity. Through an analysis of landmark and contemporary Indian cases, this study explores how the judiciary balances the principle of strictissimi juris (strict construction) in criminal law with the need to prevent unworkable legal results.