Section366
The Companies Act, 2013

Companies capable of being registered

In force From 01 Apr 2014 Act 18 of 2013 As on 15 Oct 2026

Act 18 of 2013 Ministry Corporate Affairs Enacted 29 Aug 2013 In force 01 Apr 2014 Instruments 7

Section 366 of the Companies Act, 2013 deals with companies capable of being registered. .(1) For the purposes of this Part, the word "company" includes any partnership firm, limited liability partnership, cooperative society, society or any other business entity formed under any other law for the time being in force which applies for registration under this Part. The Act came into force on 01 Apr 2014.

.(1) For the purposes of this Part, the word "company" includes any partnership firm, limited liability partnership, cooperative society, society or any other business entity formed under any other law for the time being in force which applies for registration under this Part.

(2) With the exceptions and subject to the provisions contained in this section, any company formed, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, in pursuance of any Act of Parliament other than this Act or of any other law for the time being in force or being otherwise duly constituted according to law, and consisting of 1[two or more members], may at any time register under this Act as an unlimited company, or as a company limited by shares, or as a company limited by guarantee, in such manner as may be prescribed and the registration shall not be invalid by reason only that it has taken place with a view to the company's being wound up:

Provided that--

(i) a company registered under the Indian Companies Act, 1882 (6 of 1882) or under the Indian Companies Act, 1913 (7 of 1913) or the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), shall not register in pursuance of this section;

(ii) a company having the liability of its members limited by any Act of Parliament other than this Act or by any other law for the time being in force, shall not register in pursuance of this section as an unlimited company or as a company limited by guarantee;

(iii) a company shall be registered in pursuance of this section as a company limited by shares only if it has a permanent paid-up or nominal share capital of fixed amount divided into shares, also of fixed amount, or held and transferable as stock, or divided and held partly in the one way and partly in the other, and formed on the principle of having for its members the holders of those shares or that stock, and no other persons;

(iv) a company shall not register in pursuance of this section without the assent of a majority of such of its members as are present in person, or where proxies are allowed, by proxy, at a general meeting summoned for the purpose;

(v) where a company not having the liability of its members limited by any Act of Parliament or any other law for the time being in force is about to register as a limited company, the majority required to assent as aforesaid shall consist of not less than three-fourths of the members present in person, or where proxies are allowed, by proxy, at the meeting;

(vi) where a company is about to register as a company limited by guarantee, the assent to its being so registered shall be accompanied by a resolution declaring that each member undertakes to contribute to the assets of the company, in the event of its being wound up while he is a member, or within one year after he ceases to be a member, for payment of the debts and liabilities of the company or of such debts and liabilities as may have been contracted before he ceases to be a member, and of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves, such amount as may be required, not exceeding a specified amount.

2[(vii) a company with less than seven members shall register as a private company.]

(3) In computing any majority required for the purposes of sub-section (1), when a poll is demanded, regard shall be had to the number of votes to which each member is entitled according to the regulations of the company.

Section 366, The Companies Act, 2013 (Act 18 of 2013).

Related judgements & precedents

These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.

  1. Jp Inn PVT LTD vs State of Gujarat

    High Court 26 Nov 2019 Persuasive (High Court, Single Bench)

    Court's Decision & Legal Precedent

    A partnership firm holding land registered itself as a company under Part I of Chapter XXI of the Companies Act, 2013, and the stamp authorities treated the Memorandum and Articles as a conveyance of the firm's property. The Court, after setting out Section 366 in full, held that even if the instrument is regarded as effecting a transfer of the firm's property to the company, no consideration is stated in the Memorandum and Articles, so stamp duty cannot be computed under Article 20(1), and quashed the levy with a direction to refund.

    On this section: Applies Section 366 to a firm converting into a private limited company and holds that registration of the firm as a company under that provision does not yield an instrument on which conveyance stamp duty can be assessed for want of any stated consideration.

    Read the full order on eCourts India

The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.

Made under this section, and citing it

3 instruments state that it was made under this provision — the power to make it comes from here, so a change to any of them changes what this section requires in practice. Newest first.

Another 4 instruments name this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.

All subordinate legislation

Questions about Section 366

What have the courts held on Section 366 of the Companies Act?

Jp Inn PVT LTD vs State of Gujarat (26 Nov 2019) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Applies Section 366 to a firm converting into a private limited company and holds that registration of the firm as a company under that provision does not yield an instrument on which conveyance stamp duty can be assessed for want of any stated consideration.

How do I find court cases under Section 366 of the Companies Act?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Companies Act 366, section 366 Companies Act, section 366 of the Companies Act. People searching for it also type companies act 2013 section 366. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Jp Inn PVT LTD vs State of Gujarat (26 Nov 2019).

What should I read with Section 366 of the Companies Act, and has it changed?

The rules and notifications made under it are where it actually bites, and there are 3: most recently Companies (Authorised to Register ) Amendment Rules, 2018 (2018), then Notification for CRC phase-2 Incorporation (2016), and 1 more.

When did Section 366 of the Companies Act come into force?

Section 366 of the Companies Act, cited as Companies Act 366, came into force on 01 Apr 2014, having been enacted on 29 Aug 2013. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.