The Societies Registration Act, 1860 (Act No. 21 of 1860) provides for the registration of literary, scientific, and charitable societies, and remains the primary central statute under which such societies are registered across India (subject to numerous State-level amendments).
- Section 1 — Societies formed by memorandum of association and registration
- Section 2 — Memorandum of association
- Section 3 — Registration and fees
- Section 4 — Annual list of managing body to be filed
- Section 5 — Property of society how vested
- Section 6 — Suits by and against societies
- Section 7 — Suits not to abate
- Section 8 — Enforcement of judgment against society
- Section 9 — Recovery of penalty accruing under bye-law
- Section 10 — Members liable to be sued as strangers
- Section 11 — Members guilty of offences punishable as strangers
- Section 12 — Societies enabled to alter, extend, or abridge their purposes
- Section 13 — Provision for dissolution of societies and adjustment of their affairs
- Section 14 — Upon a dissolution no member to receive profit
- Section 15 — Member defined; disqualified members
- Section 16 — Governing body defined
- Section 17 — Registration of societies formed before Act
- Section 18 — Such societies to file memorandum, etc., with Registrar of Joint-stock Companies
- Section 19 — Inspection of documents, certified copies
- Section 20 — To what societies Act applies
Note: This page reflects the central Act. Many States (e.g. Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Delhi, and others) have enacted their own amendments inserting additional sections (such as 12A–12C on change of name, 13A on Registrar-initiated dissolution applications, and provisions on penalties) — these State-specific insertions are not reproduced here.
