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Law: Meaning, Features, Sources | ISC Class 11

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Political ScienceISC Class 11 · Law

Meaning, Features and Sources of Law (ISC Class 11 Political Science)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Law is a body of general rules of external human conduct, made or recognised by the state and enforced through sanctions. Its sources are customs, usages, religion, judicial decisions, scientific commentaries, equity and legislation, with legislation the most important in modern states.

Notice that all seven sources feed into law, but legislation is boxed in red because it is the main source in modern states.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Meaning, Features and Sources of Law

Meaning. The word law comes from an old Teutonic word lag, something fixed or laid down. Austin: law is the command of the sovereign. Holland: a general rule of external human action enforced by a sovereign political authority. Woodrow Wilson: that part of established thought and habit which has gained formal recognition as uniform rules backed by the authority and power of government.

Features. (1) Rules of external conduct, not thoughts. (2) Made or recognised by the state. (3) Sanction: enforcement by courts, fines and punishment. (4) Universal and uniform within the territory. (5) Definite and certain, usually written. (6) Changes with society. Law and morality overlap (murder is immoral and illegal) but morality governs inner and outer conduct enforced by conscience and society, while law governs external conduct enforced by the state.

Sources.
1. Customs: long-followed practices accepted as binding; the earliest source; English common law grew from customs recognised by courts; Indian community rules on marriage and inheritance.
2. Usages: practices followed regularly without the binding force of custom; become custom when long followed and accepted as obligatory; important in commerce.
3. Religion: early law linked to scriptures; Hindu law from Dharmashastras such as the Manusmriti, Islamic law from the Quran and Hadith, canon law; many Indian personal laws are religion-based and partly codified (Hindu Marriage Act, 1955).
4. Judicial decisions: precedents and judge-made law, important in common-law countries; Article 141 makes Supreme Court law binding; Kesavananda Bharati (1973) laid down the basic structure doctrine.
5. Scientific commentaries: writings of jurists, such as Blackstone's Commentaries and the Mitakshara and Dayabhaga.
6. Equity: fairness or natural justice where law is silent or unjust; the Court of Chancery; Indian courts decide by justice, equity and good conscience where no law applies.
7. Legislation: law made deliberately by a legislature; definite, written, democratic, quickly changed; can override custom and religious rules; delegated legislation; examples RTI Act (2005), Consumer Protection Act (2019), Hindu Succession Act (1956). It dominates because society changes quickly, democracy makes elected legislatures the law-makers, written laws give certainty and welfare states need laws on education, health, labour and economy.

Meaning, Features and Sources of Law: key facts

Definitions
Austincommand of the sovereign
Hollandgeneral rule of external human action
Wilsonhabit with formal recognition
Features
  • External conduct
  • State-made or recognised
  • Sanction
  • Uniform
  • Definite
  • Changing
Seven sources
  • Customs
  • Usages
  • Religion
  • Judicial decisions
  • Scientific commentaries
  • Equity
  • Legislation
Indian anchors
  • Article 141
  • Kesavananda Bharati 1973
  • Hindu Marriage Act 1955
  • RTI Act 2005

How to answer Meaning, Features and Sources of Law questions

Expect 3 to 4 marks on definitions or features, and 4 to 8 marks on sources with an example each.

  1. 1Give one or two definitions with the thinker.
  2. 2List features in numbered points.
  3. 3Describe each source in one line with an Indian or English example.
  4. 4Close with why legislation is dominant.

Meaning, Features and Sources of Law in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Trade practice

Suppose merchants have long followed a practice about paying bills and courts begin to treat it as binding.

Name the source and the stage.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. A usage becomes a custom when long followed and accepted as obligatory.
  2. Courts recognising it makes it law.

Answer: Usage becoming custom.

Memory hook: Practice, then binding practice.

A binding ruling

Suppose a Supreme Court ruling must be followed by all courts in the country.

Which source and article?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Judicial decisions.
  2. Article 141 makes the law declared by the Supreme Court binding.

Answer: Judicial decisions; Article 141.

Memory hook: Top court binds all.

Tricks to remember Meaning, Features and Sources of Law

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • CURJSEL

    Customs, Usages, Religion, Judicial decisions, Scientific commentaries, Equity, Legislation.

    Use it when: Sources.

  • External, State, Sanction

    Three key features.

    Use it when: Features.

Meaning, Features and Sources of Law: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Definition · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

"Law is the command of the sovereign" was said by:
(a) Holland
(b) Austin
(c) Woodrow Wilson
(d) Dicey

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Monist.

Answer: (b) Austin.

Example 2: Law and morality · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

State two differences between law and morality.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Law governs external conduct; morality governs inner and outer conduct.
  2. Law is enforced by the state; morality by conscience and society.
  3. They overlap, as with murder.

Answer: Law: external, state-enforced; morality: inner and outer, conscience-enforced.

Example 3: Features · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Explain four features of law.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. It regulates external conduct.
  2. It is made or recognised by the state.
  3. It is backed by sanction.
  4. It is universal, uniform, definite and changes with society.

Answer: External, state-made, sanctioned and uniform.

Example 4: Sources · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

How do custom, usage and religion differ as sources of law? Give one example each.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Custom: long practice accepted as binding; English common law.
  2. Usage: a regular practice not yet binding; mercantile usages.
  3. Religion: Dharmashastras, Quran and Hadith.
  4. India: personal laws partly codified, as in the Hindu Marriage Act (1955).

Answer: Custom (common law), usage (trade) and religion (personal laws).

Example 5: Legislation case · 5 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Case: A new Act overrides a local custom and delegates detailed rules to a ministry. (a) Name the source. (b) Name the delegated form. (c) Explain why legislation dominates modern law.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) Legislation.
  2. (b) Delegated legislation.
  3. (c) Society changes quickly, democracy makes elected legislatures the law-makers, written laws give certainty, and welfare states need laws on education, health, labour and the economy.

Answer: (a) Legislation (b) delegated legislation (c) change, democracy, certainty, welfare.

Where students lose marks in Meaning, Features and Sources of Law

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Treating morality as law

    Enforcement differences missed.

    Do this: Law is enforced by the state; morality by conscience.

    Usually costs: 2 marks.

  • Mistake: Listing sources without examples

    Names only.

    Do this: Give an example for each.

    Usually costs: 1 to 2 marks.

  • Mistake: Calling usage and custom the same

    Binding force ignored.

    Do this: A usage becomes custom when accepted as obligatory.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Give three definitions.
  • Memorise seven sources.
  • Add Indian examples.
  • State why legislation dominates.

Practice questions on Meaning, Features and Sources of Law

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    The Court of Chancery developed rules of:
    (a) custom
    (b) equity
    (c) usage
    (d) delegated legislation

    Hint

    Fairness.

    Answer

    (b) Equity.

  2. Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    What is the basic structure doctrine and where was it laid down?

    Hint

    1973.

    Answer

    It limits Parliament's power to amend the Constitution; it was laid down in the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), a judicial decision.

  3. Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Distinguish between custom and legislation as sources of law, with one Indian example each.

    Hint

    Think of origin, form (unwritten or written) and how easily each changes.

    Answer

    Custom is a long-followed practice accepted as binding; it grows gradually, is usually unwritten and is the earliest source of law (e.g. community rules on marriage and inheritance in India). Legislation is law made deliberately by a legislature; it is written, definite and can be changed quickly, and it can override custom (e.g. the RTI Act, 2005).

  4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain equity as a source of law with an Indian direction.

    Hint

    Justice, equity and good conscience.

    Answer

    Equity is fairness or natural justice applied where law is silent or unjust; Indian courts have been directed to decide, where no law applies, according to justice, equity and good conscience.

  5. Q5 · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

    Case: Judges rely on a jurist's book to explain unclear law. (a) Name the source. (b) Give an English and an Indian example. (c) State why this source matters.

    Hint

    Scientific commentaries.

    Answer

    (a) Scientific commentaries. (b) Blackstone's Commentaries; the Mitakshara and Dayabhaga. (c) They explain and systematise law where it is unclear.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.Article for Supreme Court law?Show answer

    Article 141.

  2. 2.Kesavananda year?Show answer

    1973.

  3. 3.Hindu Marriage Act year?Show answer

    1955.

  4. 4.RTI Act year?Show answer

    2005.

  5. 5.Equity court?Show answer

    Court of Chancery.

Meaning, Features and Sources of Law: frequently asked questions

Why is law external?

It regulates actions, not thoughts.

What is delegated legislation?

Rules made by the executive under an Act.

What is the common law?

Law grown from customs and decisions of courts.