Section 1: Short title, extent, commencement and application
This section sets out the basic details of the Companies Act, including its name, the area it covers, and when it comes into force.
The section, clause by clause
What the section says
In plain terms
(1)This Act may be called the Companies Act, 2013.
The law is called the Companies Act, 2013.
(2)It extends to the whole of India.
The law applies to the whole of India.
(3)This section shall come into force at once and the remaining provisions of this Act shall come into force on such date1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint and *different dates may *1. 12th September, 2013 – S. 2(1),(3), (4), (5), (6), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (14), (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), (20), (21), (22), (24), (25), (26), (27), (28), (29) [except sub-clause (iv)], (30), (32), (33), (34), (35), (36), (37), (38), (39), (40), (43), (44), (45), (46), (49), (50), (51), (52), (53), (54), (55), (56), (57), (58), (59), (60), (61), (63), (64), (65), (66), (67) [except sub-clause (ix)], (84), (86),(87) [except the proviso and Explanation (d)], (88), (89), (90), (91), (92), (93), (94), (95); s. 19, 21, 22, 23 [except clause (b) of sub-section (1) and sub-section (2)], 24, 25 [except sub-section (3)], 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 [except sub-section (3)], 34, 35 [except clause (e) of sub- section (1)], 36, 37, 38 39 [except sub-section (4)], 40 [except sub-section (6)], 44, 45, 49, 50, 51, 57, 58, 59, 60, 65, 69, 70 [except sub-section (2)], 86, 91, 100 [except sub-section (6)], 102, 103, 104, 105 [except the third and fourth provisos of sub-section (1) and sub-section (7)], 106, 107, 111, 112, 113 [except clause (b) of sub- section (1)], 114, 116, 127, 133, 161 [except sub-section (2)], 162, 163, 176, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185, 192, 194,195, 202, 379, 382, 383, 386 [except clause (a)], 394, 405, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 439, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 467, 468, 469, 470, vide notification No. S.O. 2754(E), dated 12th September, 2013, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 1st April 2014 – S. 2(2), (7), (13), (31), (41), (42), (47), (48), (62), (83), (85) and Explanation (d) of clause (87); ss. 3, 4, 5, 6; s. 7 [except sub-section (7)]; s. 8 [except sub-section (9)]; ss. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13; s. 14 [except second proviso to sub-section (1) and sub-section (2)]; ss. 15, 16, 17 and 18; section 20; clause (b) of sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) of section 23; sub-section (3) of section 25; ss. 26, 27 and 28; sub-section (3) of s. 33; clause (e) of sub-section (1) of s. 35; sub-section (4) of s. 39; sub-section (6) of s. 40; ss. 41, 42 and 43; ss. 46 and 47; ss. 52, 53 and 54; s. 55 [except sub-section (3)]; s. 56; s. 61 [except proviso to clause (b) of sub-section (1)]; s. 62 [except sub-sections (4) to (6)]; ss. 63 and 64; ss. 67 and 68; sub-section (2) of section 70; s. 71 [except sub-sections (9) to (11)]; ss. 72 and 73; sub-section (1) of s. 74; ss. 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85; ss. 87, 88, 89 and 90; ss. 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96; sub-section (6) of s.100; s. 101; third and fourth provisos to sub- section (1) and sub-section (7) of s. 105; ss. 108, 109 and 110; clause (b) of sub-section (1) of s. 113; s. 115; ss. 117and 118; s. 119 [except sub-section (4)]; ss. 120, 121, 122 and 123; s. 126; ss. 128 and 129; s.134; ss. 136, 137, 138 and 139; s. 140 [except second proviso to sub-section (4) and sub-section (5)]; ss. 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159 and 160; sub-section (2) of s. 161; ss. 164, 165, 166, 167 and 168; s. 169 [except sub-section (4)]; ss. 170, 171, 172, 173, 174 and 175; ss. 177, 178 and 179; s. 184; ss. 186, 187, 188, 189, 190 and 191; s. 193; ss. 196, 197, 198, 199, 200 and 201; ss. 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210 and 211; s. 212 [except references of sub-section (10) of s. 66, sub-section (5) of s. 140], s. 213, sub-section (1) of s. 251 and sub-section (3) of s. 339 made in sub-section (6) and also sub-sections (8) to (10)]; ss. 214, 215; s. 216 [except sub-section (2)]; s. 217; ss. 219 and 220; s. 223; s. 224 [except sub- sections (2) and (5)]; s. 225; ss. 228 and 229; ss. 366, 367, 368and 369; s. 370 (except the proviso); s. 371; s. 374; ss. 380and 381; ss. 384and 385; clause (a) of s. 386; ss. 387, 388, 389and 390; sub-section (1) of s. 391; ss. 392 and 393; ss. 395, 396, 397and 398; s. 399 [except reference of word Tribunal in sub-section (2)]; ss. 400, 401, 402, 403and 404; s. 406; s. 442; ss. 454and 455; s. 464; Schs. I, II, III, IV, V and VI, vide notification No. S.O. 902(E), dated 26th March, 2014, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec.3(ii). 1st April, 2014 – S. 135 and Sch. VII, vide notification No. S.O. 582(E), dated 27th February, 2014, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 6th June, 2014 –Sub-sections (2) and (3) of s. 74, vide notification No. S.O. 1459(E), dated 6th June, 2014, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 13th January, 2016–S. 125(5), (6) [except with respect to the manner of administration of the Investor Education and Protection Fund] and (7), vide notification No. S.O. 125(E), see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 18th May, 2016-S. 2(29) (iv), ss. 435 to 438 and s. 440, vide notification No. S.O. 1795(E), dated 18th May, 2016, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 1st June, 2016-S. 7(7) [except clause (c) and (d)], s. 14(2), second proviso to sub-section (1) of s. 14, s. 55 (3), proviso to clause (b) of sub-section (1) of s. 61; s. 62 (4) to (6), s. 71 (9), (10) and (11), s. 75; s. 97; s. 98 and s. 99; S. 119 (4), s. 130 and 131; second proviso to sub-section (4) and (5) of s. 140, s. 169(4), s. 213, s. 216 (2), s. 218, s. 221, s. 222, s. 224 (5), ss. 241, 242 [except clause (b) of sub-section (1), cls.
This part of the law comes into force immediately and the rest comes into force on a date decided by the Central Government, with different dates possible, including 12th September, 2013, 1st April 2014, 6th June 2014, and others.
(3)(c)and (g) of sub-section (2)], 243, 244 and 245; Reference of word “Tribunal” s. 399 (2),ss. 415 to 433, s. 434 (1) (a) and (b) & (2), s. 441and 466, vide notification No. S.O. 1934(E), dated 1st June, 2016, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3(ii). 7th September, 2016-S. 124, s. 125 (1) to (4), (6) [with respect to the manner of administration of the Investor Education and Protection Fund] and (8) to (11) vide Notification No. S.O. 2866(E), dated 5th September, 2016, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 9th September, 2016- S. 227, 242 (1) (b), (2) (c) & (g), s. 246, Ss. 337 to 341 (to the extent of their applicability for s. 246), vide notification No. S.O. 2912(E), dated 9th September, 2016, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 15th December, 2016-S. 2 (23), s.7 (7) (c) and (d), s. 8 (9), s. 48, s. 66, s. 224 (2), s. 226, s. 230 [except sub-section (11) and (12)], and ss. 231 to 233, ss. 235 to 240, ss. 270 to 288, ss. 290 to 303, ss. 324, ss. 326 to 365, proviso to s. 370, ss. 372 to 373, ss. 375 to 378, s. 391 (2), s. 434 (1) cl.
(3)(c)vide notification No. S.O. 3677(E), dated 7th December, 2016, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 26th December, 2016-Ss. 248 to 252, vide notification No. S.Ó. 4167(E), dated 26th December, 2016, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 13th April, 2017- S. 234, vide notification No. S.O. 1182(E), dated 13th April, 2017, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 24th August, 2017-S. 212 (8), (9) and (10), vide notification No. S.O. 2751(E), dated 24th August, 2017, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 20th September, 2017-Proviso to clause (87) of s. 2, vide notification No. S.O. 3086(E), dated 20th September, 2017, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 18th October, 2017-S. 247, vide notification No. S.O. 3393(E), dated 18th October, 2017, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3(ii). 21st March, 2018- S. 132 (3) and (11), vide notification No. S.O. 1316(E), dated 21st March, 2018, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3(ii). 1st October, 2018- S.132 (1) and (12), vide notification No. S.O. 5098(E), dated 1st October, 2018, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3(ii). 24th October, 2018- S. 132 (2), (4), (5), (10), (13), (14) and (15) vide notification No. S.O. 5385(E), dated 24th October, 2018, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3(ii). 30th January, 2019- S.465 in so far as they relate to the repeal of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) [that in except in so far as they relate to the repeal of the Registration of Companies (Sikkim) Act, 1961 (Sikkim Act 8 of 1961)] vide notification No. S.O. 560(E), dated 30th January 2019, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3(ii). 1st July, 2019-S. 81, vide notification No. S.O. 2269(E), dated 15th August, 2019, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part II, sec. 3(ii). 3rd February, 2020-S. 230 (11) and (12), vide notification No. S.O. 525(E), dated 3rd February, 2020, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 21st December, 2020-S. 1, 3,6 to 10 (both inclusive), s. 12 to 17 (both inclusive), clauses (a) and (b) of s. 18, s. 19 to 21 (both inclusive), clause (i) of s. 22, 24,26, 28 to 31 (both inclusive), s. 33 to 39 (both inclusive), s. 41 to 44 (both inclusive), s. 46 to 51 (both inclusive), s. 54, 57, 61 and 63, vide notification No. S.O. 4646(E), dated 21st December, 2020, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii). *. Vide Notification No. S.O. 3912 (E), dated 30th October, 2019, this Act is made applicable to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh. 22nd January, 2021- Sections. 2, 11, clause (c) of sec. 18, Clause (ii) Sec. 22, Sections. 25, 27, 53, 55, 58, 60, 59, 62, 64, 65, vide notification No. S.O. 325(E), dated 21st January, 2021, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 11th February, 2021- Sections. 52 & 66, vide notification No. S.O. 644(E), dated 11th February, 2021, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 18th March, 2021-Sections. 32 & 40, vide notification No. S.O. 1255(E), dated 18th March, 2021, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 1st September, 2021-Section. 4, vide notification No. S.O. 2904(E), dated 22nd July, 2021, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 1st July, 2022-Section. 56, vide notification No. S.O. 148(E), dated 11th January, 2022, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii). 30th October, 2023-Section. 5, vide notification No. S.O. 4744(E), dated 30th October, 2023, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3 (ii). be appointed for different provisions of this Act and any reference in any provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.
(4)The provisions of this Act shall apply to—
The Central Government decides when the rest of the law comes into force, by notification in the Official Gazette.
(4)(a)companies incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law;
(4)(b)insurance companies, except in so far as the said provisions are inconsistent with the provisions of the Insurance Act, 1938 (4 of 1938) or the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 (41 of 1999);
(4)(c)banking companies, except in so far as the said provisions are inconsistent with the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949);
(4)(d)companies engaged in the generation or supply of electricity, except in so far as the said provisions are inconsistent with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003 (36 of 2003);
(4)(f)such body corporate, incorporated by any Act for the time being in force, as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf, subject to such exceptions, modifications or adaptation, as may be specified in the notification.
The right-hand column is written from the section text, not quoted from it, and it has no legal force. Where the two differ, the left-hand column is the law.
Amendment notes
- 1. The Explanation subs. by Act 1 of 2018, s. 2 (w.e.f. 7-5-2018).
This section refers to
Referred to by
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Reproduced from the official India Code print for reference. Check the current text on India Code before you rely on it, and read the section alongside its Rules. Nothing here is legal advice.