Gender

Masculine pronouns like 'he' and their forms are to be read as applying to any person, whether male or female. If a law uses 'he' it includes women too, so separate feminine wording is not needed. This ensures statutes in masculine language apply regardless of the person's gender.

Priya, a shopkeeper, is accused of short-changing a customer. The penal provision describing who is liable uses the word 'he'; because 'he' includes any person, the same provision applies to Priya even though she is female.