Short title, extent and commencement
Section 1 of the Registration Act, 1908 deals with short title, extent and commencement. This Act may be called the Registration Act, 1908. The Act came into force on 01 Jan 1909.
(1) This Act may be called the 1*** Registration Act, 1908.
2[(2) It extends to the whole of India 3***:
Provided that the State Government may exclude any districts or tracts of country from its operation.]
(3) It shall come into force on the first day of January, 1909.
STATE AMENDMENT
Karnataka
Amendment of section 1.--For sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Registration (Karnataka Amendment) Act, 1976 (Karnataka Act 55 of 1976) the following sub-section shall be and shall be deemed have been substituted, namely:--
"(3) This section and sections 3, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 19 shall come into force at once and the other sections shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification, appoint and different sections areas."
[Vide Karnataka Act 64 of 1976, s. 2]
Section 1, The Registration Act, 1908 (Act 16 of 1908).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
This section refers to
- s. 3 Inspector-General of Registration
- s. 13 Report to State Government of appointments under sections 10, 11 and 12
- s. 14 Establishments of registering officers
- s. 16 Register-books and fire-proof boxes
- s. 17 Documents of which registration is compulsory
- s. 19 Documents in language not understood by registering officer
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.
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The Sub Registrar Amudalavalasa vs Dankuni Steels LTD
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When a single sale deed purports to convey multiple distinct matters including land, building, and plant and machinery permanently embedded to earth, the entire transaction must be examined by reading the preamble, recitals, operative part and schedule together. If the underlying transaction (such as an auction sale) was for all assets as a composite lot, and the parties' conduct indicates intention to operate the unit as a going concern, then plant and machinery permanently embedded to earth constitutes immovable property subject to stamp duty under Section 5 of the Indian Stamp Act. The registering authorities have power under Section 27 (as amended) and Section 47A to verify the true value and nature of property transferred and to refer the matter to the Collector for determination of market value and proper stamp duty payable. The mere fact that the sale deed describes only land and buildings does not permit avoidance of stamp duty liability on plant and machinery that was actually transferred as part of the composite transaction.
On this section: Definition of immovable property - includes land, buildings, things attached to earth or permanently fastened to anything attached to earth, but not standing timber, growing crops or grass
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.
Questions about Section 1
What have the courts held on Section 1 of the Registration Act?
The Sub Registrar Amudalavalasa vs Dankuni Steels LTD (26 Apr 2023) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Definition of immovable property - includes land, buildings, things attached to earth or permanently fastened to anything attached to earth, but not standing timber, growing crops or grass.
How do I find court cases under Section 1 of the Registration 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: Registration Act 1, section 1 Registration Act, section 1 of the Registration Act. 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 The Sub Registrar Amudalavalasa vs Dankuni Steels LTD (26 Apr 2023).
What should I read with Section 1 of the Registration Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 3 (Inspector-General of Registration), section 13 (Report to State Government of appointments under sections 10, 11 and 12), section 14 (Establishments of registering officers), section 16 (Register-books and fire-proof boxes), and on 2 further provisions, so none of them can safely be read on its own.
When did Section 1 of the Registration Act come into force?
Section 1 of the Registration Act, cited as Registration Act 1, came into force on 01 Jan 1909, having been enacted on 18 Dec 1908. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 89. Copies of certain orders, certificates and instruments to be sent to registering officers and filed3309 words
- 17. Documents of which registration is compulsory1430 words
- 69. Power of Inspector-General to superintend registration offices and make rules1164 words
- 80. Fees payable on presentation1120 words
- 51. Register-books to be kept in the several offices868 words
- 22. Description of houses and land by reference to Government maps or surveys737 words
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.