SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT, 1860

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THE SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT, 1860 
(XXI of 1860) 
CONTENTS 
1. Societies formed by memorandum of association and registration. 
2. Memorandum of association. 
3. Registration fees. 
4. Annual list of managing body to be filed. 
5. Property of society how vested. 
6. Suits by and against societies. 
7. Suits not to abate. 
8. Enforcement of judgment against society. 
9. Recovery of penalty accruing under bye-law. 
10. Members liable to be sued as strangers. 
 Recovery by successful defendant of costs adjudged. 
11. Members guilty of offences punishable as strangers. 
12. Societies enabled to alter, extend or abridge their purposes. 
13. Provision for dissolution of societies and adjustment of their affairs. 
 Assent required. 
 Government consent. 
14. Upon a dissolution no member to receive profit. 
 Clause not to apply to joint-stock companies. 
15. Member defined − Disqualified members. 
16. Governing body defined. 
16-A. Supersession of governing body of a society. 
17. Registration of societies formed before Act − Assent required. 
18. Such societies to file memorandum, e tc., with Registrar of Joint -stock 
Companies. 
19. Inspection of documents − Certified copies. 
20. To what societies Act applies. 
21. Registration of Deeni Madrassah. 
 
TEXT 
THE SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT, 1860
1
 
(XXI of 1860) 
[21st May, 1860] 
An 
Act 
for the Registration of Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies. 
Preamble.– WHEREAS it is expedient that provision should be made for improving 
the legal condition of societies esta blished for the promotion of literature, science, or 
the fine arts, or for the diffusion of useful knowledge, 
2
[the diffusion of political 
education] or for charitable purposes; it is enacted as follows:– 
1. Societies formed by memorandum of association an d registration.– Any 
seven or more persons associated for any literary, scientific or charitable purpose, or 
for any such purpose as is described in section 20 of this Act, may by subscribing 
their names to a memorandum of association and filing the same w ith the Registrar 
of Joint-stock Companies 
3
[* * *] form themselves into a society under this Act. 
2. Memorandum of association .– The memorandum of association shall 
contain the following things (that is to say)− 
 the name of the society: 
 the objects of the society: 
 the names, addresses, and occupations of the governors, council, directors, 
committee or other governing body to who m, by the rules of the society, the 
management of its affairs is entrusted. 
 A copy of the rules and regulations of the society, certified to be a correct 
copy by not less than three of the members of the governing body, shall be filed with 
the memorandum of association. 
4
[3. Registration fees.– Upon such memorandum and certified copy being filed, 
the registrar shall certify under his hand that the society is registered under this Act. 
                                                           
1Short title given by the Short Titles Act, 1897 (XIV of 1897). 
The Act (with the exception of the first four sections) is based on Literary and Scientific Institutions Act, 1854. 
It has been declared to be in force in all the Provinces and the Capital of the Federation, except the Scheduled Districts, 
by s. 3 of the Laws Local Extent Act, 1874 (XV of 1874). 
It has been declared by Notification under s. 3 (a) of the S cheduled Districts Act, 1874 (XIV of 1874), to be in force in the  
following Scheduled Districts Act, namely: − 
The Districts of Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan. [ Portions of the Districts of 
Hazara, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Dera Ghazi Khan and the Districts of Peshawar and Kohat now form the N.W.F.P., 
see Gazette of India, 1901, Pt. I, p. 867, and ibid., 1902, Pt. I, p.575]. 
2Added by the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 1927 (XXII of 1927). 
3The words and figures “under Act XIX of 1857” repealed by the Repealing Act, 1874 (XVI of 1874). 
4Substituted by the Punja b Finance Act, 1990 (I of 1990); and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated 
28.6.1990, pages 1165-A to 1165-G, s.5 (w.e.f. 1.7.1990). 
There shall be paid to the Registrar for every such registration such fe e as the 
Provincial Government may direct, and all fees so paid shall be accounted for to the 
Provincial Government.] 
4. Annual list of managing body to be filed.– Once in every year, on or before 
the fourteenth day succeeding the day on which, according t o the rules of the 
society, the annual general meeting of the society is held, or, if the rules do not 
provide for an annual general meeting, in the month of January, a list shall be filed 
with the Registrar of Joint -stock Companies of the names, addresses  and 
occupations of the governors, council, directors, committee or other governing body 
then entrusted with the management of the affairs of the society. 
5. Property of society how vested .– The property, movable and immovable, 
belonging to a society regis tered under this Act, if not vested in trustees, shall be 
deemed to be vested, for the time being, in the governing body of such society, and 
in all proceedings, civil and criminal, may be described as the property of the 
governing body of such society by their proper title. 
6. Suits by and against societies .– Every society registered under this Act 
may sue or be sued in the name of the president, chairman, or principal secretary, or 
trustees, as shall be determined by the rules and regulations of the socie ty, and, in 
default of such determination, in the name of such person as shall be appointed by 
the governing body for the occasion: 
 Provided that it shall be competent for any person having a claim or demand 
against the society, to sue the president or ch airman, or principal secretary or the 
trustees thereof, if on application to the governing body some other officer or person 
be not nominated to be the defendant. 
7. Suits not to abate .– No suit or proceeding in any Civil Court shall abate or 
discontinue by reason of the person by or against whom such suit or proceedings 
shall have been brought or continued, dying or ceasing to fill the character in the 
name whereof he shall have sued or been sued, but the same suit or proceedings 
shall be continued in the name of or against the successor of such person. 
8. Enforcement of judgment against society .– If a judgment shall be 
recovered against the person or officer named on behalf of the society, such 
judgment shall not be put in force against the property, movab le or immovable, or 
against the body of such person or officer, but against the property of the society. 
 The application for execution shall set forth the judgment, the fact of the party 
against whom it shall have been recovered having sued or having been  sued, as the 
case may be, on behalf of the society only, and shall require to have the judgment 
enforced against the property of the society. 
9. Recovery of penalty accruing under bye -law.– Whenever by any bye -law 
duly made in accordance with the rules an d regulations of the society, or, if the rules 
do not provide for the making of bye -laws, by any bye -law made at a general 
meeting of the members of the society convened for the purpose (for the making of 
which the concurrent votes of three -fifths of the m embers present at such meeting 
shall be necessary), any pecuniary penalty is imposed for the breach of any rule or 
bye-law of the society, such penalty, when accrued, may be recovered in any Court 
having jurisdiction where the defendant shall reside, or th e society shall be situate, 
as the governing body thereof shall deem expedient. 
10. Members liable to be sued as strangers .– Any member who may be in 
arrear of a subscription which, according to the rules of the society he is bound to 
pay, or who shall pos sess himself of or detain any property of the society in a 
manner or for a time contrary to such rules, or shall injure or destroy any property of 
the society, may be sued for such arrear or for the damage accruing from such 
detention, injury or destruction of property in the manner hereinbefore provided. 
 Recovery by successful defendant of costs adjudged .– But if the 
defendant shall be successful in any suit or other proceeding brought against him at 
the instance of the society, and shall be adjudged to r ecover his costs, he may elect 
to proceed to recover the same from the officer in whose name the suit shall be 
brought, or from the society, and in the latter case shall have process against the 
property of the said society in the manner above described. 
11. Members guilty of offences punishable as strangers .– Any member of the 
society who shall steal, purloin or embezzle any money or other property, or willfully 
and maliciously destroy or injure any property of such society, or shall forge any 
deed, bond, security for money, receipt, or other instrument, whereby the funds of 
the society may be exposed to loss, shall be subject to the same prosecution, and, if 
convicted, shall be liable to be punished in like manner as any person not a member 
would be subject and liable to in respect of the like offence. 
12. Societies enabled to alter, extend or abridge their purposes .– Whenever 
it shall appear to the governing body of any society registered under this Act, which 
has been established for any particular purpos e or purposes, that it is advisable to 
alter, extend or abridge such purpose to or for other purposes within the meaning of 
this Act, or to amalgamate such society either wholly or partially with any other 
society, such governing body may submit the propos ition to the members of the 
society in a written or printed report and may convene a special meeting for the 
consideration thereof according to the regulations of the society. 
 But no such proposition shall be carried into effect unless such report shall 
have been delivered or sent by post to every member of the society ten days 
previous to the special meeting convened by the governing body for the 
consideration thereof, nor unless such proposition shall have been agreed to by the 
votes of three -fifths of t he members delivered in person or by proxy, and confirmed 
by the votes of three -fifths of the members present at a second special meeting 
convened by the governing body at an interval of one month after the former 
meeting. 
13. Provision for dissolution of societies and adjustment of their affairs .– 
Any number not less than three -fifths of the members of any society may determine 
that it shall be dissolved, and thereupon it shall be dissolved forthwith, or at the time 
then agreed upon, and all necessary step s shall be taken for the disposal and 
settlement of the property of the society, its claims and liabilities, according to the 
rules of the said society applicable thereto, if any, and, if not, then as the governing 
body shall find expedient, provided that,  in the event of any dispute arising among 
the said governing body or the members of the society, the adjustment of its affairs 
shall be referred to the principal Court of original civil jurisdiction of the district in 
which the chief building of the society is situate; and the Court shall make such order 
in the matter as it shall deem requisite: 
 Assent required.– Provided that no society shall be dissolved unless three -
fifths of the members shall have expressed a wish for such dissolution by their votes 
delivered in person, or by proxy, at a general meeting convened for the purpose: 
 Government consent .– Provided that 
5
[whenever any Government] is a 
member of or a contributor to, or otherwise interested in, any society registered 
under this Act, such socie ty shall not be dissolved 
6
[without the consent of the 
Government of the Province of registration]. 
14. Upon a dissolution no member to receive profit.– If upon the dissolution of 
any society registered under this Act there shall remain after the satisfact ion of all its 
debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or 
distributed among the members of the said society or any of them, but shall be given 
to some other society, to be determined by the votes of not less than three -fifths of 
the members present personally or by proxy at the time of dissolution, or in default 
thereof, by such Court as aforesaid: 
 Clause not to apply to joint -stock companies .– Provided, however, that 
this clause shall not apply to any society which sha ll have been founded or 
established by the contributions of shareholders in the nature of a Joint -stock 
Company. 
15. Member defined − Disqualified members .– For the purposes of this Act a 
member of a society shall be a person who, having been admitted ther ein according 
to the rules and regulations thereof, shall have paid a subscription or shall have 
signed the roll or list of members thereof, and shall not have resigned in accordance 
with such rules and regulations; but in all proceedings under this Act no  person shall 
be entitled to vote or to be counted as a member whose subscription at the time shall 
have been in arrear for a period exceeding three months. 
16. Governing body defined .– The governing body of the society shall be the 
governors, council, directors, committee, trustees or other body to whom by the rules 
and regulations of the society the management of its affairs is entrusted. 
7
[16-A. Supersession of governing body of a society .– (1) Notwithstanding 
anything contained in the memorandum of asso ciation, rules or regulations of a 
society registered under this Act, if, after such inquiry as may be necessary, the 
Provincial Government is of the opinion that the governing body of the society− 
(a) is unable to discharge or persistently fails in discharging its duties, or 
                                                           
5Substituted for the words “whenever the Government.” by the Government of India (Adaptation of Indian Laws) Order, 1937 ; 
and published in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary), dated 1.4.1937, pages 75-344, see Article 3 and Schedule.  
6Substituted ibid., for the words “without the consent of Government.” 
7Substituted by the Conformity with Fundamental Rights (Punjab Amendment of Laws) Act, 1976 (IX of 1976); and published in 
the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary) dated 28.4.1976, pages 933 -935, s.2, schedule;  which w as inserted by the Societies 
Registration (West Pakistan Amendment) Ordinance, 1962 (IX of 1962); and published in the Gazette of West Pakistan 
(Extraordinary), dated 12.4.1962, pages 1571-1572, s.2.  
(b) is unable to administer its affairs or meet its financial obligations, or 
(c) generally acts in a manner contrary to public interest or t he interests of 
the members of the society, 
the Provincial Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare 
the governing body to be superseded for such period, not exceeding one year, as 
may be specified in the notification. 
 
8
[Provided that the declaration shall not be made without giving to the society 
to be affected thereby an opportunity of being heard.] 
 (2) On the publication of a notification under sub-section (1),− 
(a) the office -bearers and other members of the governing body shall 
cease to hold office; and 
(b) all functions of the governing body shall, during the period of 
supersession, be performed by a governing body constituted by the 
Provincial Government from among the members of the society. 
 (3) On the expiry of the period of supersession, the governing body of the 
society shall be reconstituted in accordance with its memorandum of association,  
rules and regulations.] 
17. Registration of societies formed before Act  Assent required .– Any 
company or society established for a literary, scientific or charitable purpose, and 
registered under 
9
Act XLIII of 1850, or any such society established and con stituted 
previously to the passing of this Act but not registered under the said 
10
Act XLIII of 
1850, may at any time hereafter be registered as a society under this Act; subject to 
the proviso that no such company or society shall be registered under this Act unless 
an assent to its being so registered has been given by three -fifths of the members 
present personally, or by proxy, at some general meeting convened for that purpose 
by the governing body. 
 In the case of a company or society registered under 
11
Act XLIII of 1850, the 
directors shall be deemed to be such governing body. 
 In the case of a society not so registered, if no such body shall have been 
constituted on the establishment of the society, it shall be competent for the 
members thereof, upon due notice, to create for itself a governing body to act for the 
society thenceforth. 
18. Such soci eties to file memorandum, etc., with Registrar of Joint -Stock 
Companies.– In order to any such society as is mentioned in the last preceding 
section obtaining registry under this Act, it shall be sufficient that the governing body 
file with the Registrar of Joint -stock Companies 
12
[* * *] a memorandum showing the 
name of the society, the objects of the society, and the names, addresses and 
                                                           
8Added by the Societies Registration (Amendmen t) Ordina nce, 1984 (XV of 1984); and published in the Punjab Gazette 
(Extraordinary), dated 16.12.1984. 
9Subsequently replaced by the Indian Companies Act, 1866 (X of 1866), section 219. 
10Ibid. 
11Ibid. 
12The words and figures “under Act XIX of 1857,” repealed by the Repealing Act, 1874 (XVI of 1874). 
occupations of the governing body, together with a copy of the rules and regulations 
of the society certified as provided in section 2, and a copy of the report of the 
proceedings of the general meeting at which the registration was resolved on. 
19. Inspection of documents−Certified Copies .– Any person may inspect all 
documents filed with the registrar under this Act on payment of a fee of one rupee for 
each inspection, and any person may require a copy or extract of any document or 
any part of an y document, to be certified by the registrar, on payment of two annas 
for every hundred words of such copy or extract; and such certified copy shall be 
prima facie evidence of the matters therein contained in all legal proceedings 
whatever. 
20. To what soc ieties Act applies .– The following societies may be registered 
under this Act:– 
 Charitable societies, 
13
[* * *] societies established for the promotion of science, 
literature, or the fine arts, for instruction, the diffusion of useful knowledge, 
14
[the 
diffusion of political education], the foundation or maintenance of libraries or reading 
rooms for general use among the members or open to the public, or public museums 
and galleries of painting and other works of art, collections of natural history, 
mechanical and philosophical inventions, instruments, or designs. 
15
[21. Registration of Deeni Madaris.– (1) All Deeni Madaris, by whatsoever name 
called, shall not operate without getting themselves registered: 
 Provided that the Deeni Madaris, which are establish ed after the 
commencement of this Act, shall get themselves registered within one year of their 
establishment. 
Explanation.– One Deeni Madrassah, having more than one campus, shall need 
only one registration. 
 (2) Every Deeni Madrassah shall submit annual report of its educational 
activities to the Registrar. 
 (3) Every Deeni Madrassah shall cause to be carried out audit of its 
accounts by an auditor and submit a copy of its audit report to the Registrar. 
 (4) No Deeni Madrassah shall teach or publish any l iterature which 
promotes militancy or spreads sectarianism or religious hatred: 
 Provided that nothing contained herein shall bar the comparative study of 
various religions or schools of thought or the study of any other subject covered by 
the Holy Quran, Sunnah or the Islamic jurisprudence. 
Explanation.– In this section “Deeni Madrassah” means a religious institution and 
includes a Jamia, Dar -ul-Uloom, School, College, University or called by any other 
name, established or operated primarily for the purpos es of imparting religious 
education, which provides boarding and lodging facilities.] 
                                                           
13The words “the military orphan funds or societies established at the several presidencies of India” omitted by the Adaptation of 
Central Acts and Ordinances Order, 1949 (G.G.O. 4 of 1949) ; and published in the Gazette of  Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated 
28.3.1949, Pages 223-283, see Article 3 & the Schedule. 
14Inserted by the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 1927 (XXII of 1927). 
15Substituted section 21 by the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act 2006 (VII of 2006);  and published in the Punjab 
Gazette (Extraordinary) dated 10.7.2006, pages 91-92, s.2, which was inserted by the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act 
2005 (XIII of 2005); and published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary) dated 8.11.2005, pages s.1655-1656.