THE SENIOR ELECTRIC INSPECTORAND OTHERS vs LAXMI NARAYAN CHOPRA AND OTHERS

The Supreme Court interpreted the term 'telegraph line' under Section 34(2)(b) of the Indian Electricity Act, 1910, and Section 3(4) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, holding that it encompasses electric lines used for wireless telegraphy. The Court rejected the High Court's view that 'telegraph line' requires a defined physical channel, affirming that it includes wires used for receiving communications via electromagnetic waves. The judgment clarified that the maxim of contemporanea expositio does not apply to modern statutes, emphasizing the need for a broader interpretation of legislative intent.