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Section 1: Short title, extent and commencement

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Act 1908
All 93 Sections of Registration Act Section 2

Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 1

Section 1 provides the short title, territorial extent across India, and statutory commencement of the Registration Act, 1908, establishing the foundational public registry framework for land transactions, deeds, and conveyances across the country.

  • Short Title: Formally designated as the Registration Act, 1908 (Act 16 of 1908).
  • Territorial Extent: Extends to the whole of India; following the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, its provisions apply uniformly across all States and Union Territories.
  • State Government Exclusion Powers: Empowers the State Government to exclude any district or tract of country from its operation by official gazette notification.
  • Commencement Baseline: Came into force on the first day of January, 1909, consolidating prior registration regulations into a unified national code.
Key Landmark Precedents:
  • Suraj Lamp & Industries Pvt. Ltd. v. State of Haryana, (2012) 1 SCC 656: The Supreme Court underscored that the Registration Act was enacted to create public records of property transfers, prevent fraudulent transactions, and give notice to the public regarding title conveyances.
  • Satya Pal Anand v. State of M.P., (2016) 10 SCC 767: The Supreme Court affirmed that the Act is a complete procedural code governing registration of documents, registration officers, and the legal consequences of registration.
Courtroom Practice & Strategic Litigation Guidance:

In property due diligence, verify the local state amendments to the Registration Act, 1908, as states frequently enact specialized rules regarding mandatory photograph/biometric capture and online registration systems.

All 93 Sections of Registration Act Section 2