We mean in the first place, that no man is punishable or can lawfully be made to suffer in body or goods except of distinct breach of law established in the ordinary legal manner before the ordinary courts of the land

A.V.Dicey, who coined the expression ‘the rule of law”, gave 3 meanings to it.

1. 
   We mean in the first place, that no man is punishable or can lawfully be made to suffer in body or goods except of distinct breach of law established in the ordinary legal manner before the ordinary courts of the land.
   
   1. 
      If anyone – you or I – is to be penalized it must not be for breaking some rule dreamt up by an ingenious minister or official in order to convict us. It must be for proven breach of the established law of the land.
      
   2. 
      And it must be a breach established before the ordinary courts of the land, not a tribunal of members picked to do the government bidding, lacking the independence and impartiality which are expected of judges.
      

2. 
   We mean in the second place, when we speak of ‘the rule of law’ as a characteristic of our country, not only that with us no man is above the law, but (which is different thing) that here, every man, whatever be his rank or condition, is subject to the ordinary tribunals’.
   
   1. 
      (Dr Thomas Fuller, 1733, “Be you never so high, the Law is above you”)
      

3. 
   A third and a different sense in which ‘the rule of law’ or the predominance of the legal spirit may be described as a special attribute of English institutions. We may say that the constitution is pervaded by the rule of law on the ground that the general principles of constitution are with us the result of judicial decisions determining the rights of private persons in particular cases brought before the courts.