Singapore legislation
Section 32
Section 32
Taking of legal proceedings
(1)
Charity proceedings may be taken with reference to a charity either by the charity, or by any of the governing board members, or by any person interested in the charity, but not by any other person.
(2)
Subject to this section, no charity proceedings relating to a charity (other than an exempt charity) may be entertained or proceeded with in any court unless the taking of the proceedings is authorised by order of the Commissioner.
(3)
The Commissioner must not, without special reasons, authorise the taking of charity proceedings where in his or her opinion the case can be dealt with by him or her under the powers of this Act.
(4)
This section does not require any order for the taking of proceedings in a pending cause or matter or for the bringing of any appeal.
(5)
Where subsection (2) requires the taking of charity proceedings to be authorised by an order of the Commissioner, the proceedings may nevertheless be entertained or proceeded with if, after the order had been applied for and refused, leave to take the proceedings was obtained from the General Division of the High Court.
(6)
Nothing in subsections (1) to (5) applies to the taking of proceedings by the Attorney‑General, with or without a relator.
(7)
Where it appears to the Commissioner, on an application for an order under this section or otherwise, that it is desirable for legal proceedings to be taken with reference to any charity (other than an exempt charity) or its property or affairs, and for the proceedings to be taken by the Attorney‑General, the Commissioner must so inform the Attorney‑General, and send the Attorney‑General such statements and particulars as the Commissioner thinks necessary to explain the matter.
(8)
In this section, “charity proceedings” means proceedings in the General Division of the High Court brought under the jurisdiction of the General Division of the High Court with respect to charities, or brought under the jurisdiction of the General Division of the High Court with respect to trusts in relation to the administration of a trust for charitable purposes.[31