Total enactments
916
Central Acts listed
Central Acts of India
Explore legislation enacted by Parliament, from foundational constitutional statutes to criminal law, taxation, labour, corporate regulation and public services. Browse by subject or year, with statutory text available where source records permit.
Subject areas
12
Catalogue classifications
Year range
1838–2026
Acts represented in the catalogue
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Directory of Central Acts by subject
Select a subject to browse matching Acts.
Showing 12 of 12 subject areas
- Courts, procedure & civil rightsCivil procedure, evidence, remedies, property and the administration of justice.112
- Companies & corporate governanceCompany formation, governance, insolvency and regulation of business entities.51
- Criminal law & justiceCriminal codes, procedure, evidence and laws addressing specific offences.58
- Defence & national securityThe armed forces, national security and the legal framework of defence.34
- Education & institutionsNational education frameworks, universities and institutions established by law.59
- Environment & conservationEnvironmental protection, natural resources and conservation.12
- Finance & financial regulationBanking, markets, public finance and statutory financial institutions.57
- Constitutional & public administrationFoundational statutes, public institutions, rights and the machinery of government.331
- Health & public welfarePublic health, medical institutions and social welfare legislation.48
- Infrastructure & public worksTransport, communications, energy and national infrastructure frameworks.65
- Labour & employmentEmployment, industrial relations, workplace conditions and social security.51
- Taxation & revenueDirect and indirect taxes, customs, duties and revenue administration.38
916 Central Acts in the catalogue; subject labels are for browsing and may overlap in scope.
Constitutional framework
Parliament’s legislative powers
The Constitution defines Parliament’s law-making authority and the territorial extent of Central legislation. The subject matter and each Act’s own provisions determine how a law operates.
Article 245
Territorial extent
Parliament may make laws for all or any part of India. Central legislation may also apply to specified territories as provided by law.
Article 246 · List I
Union List
The Constitution assigns Parliament exclusive legislative power over matters enumerated in the Union List, subject to its provisions.
Article 248
Residuary powers
Parliament has exclusive power to make laws on matters not enumerated in the State or Concurrent Lists, including relevant taxes.
Search and read
Central Acts directory
Search by title, acronym, subject or year. Use the filters to narrow the catalogue or browse it by year.
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The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026
Defence8 sectionsEnriched2026
PDF being processed
The Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022The Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022
Defence15 sectionsEnriched2022
PDF being processed
The Factoring Regulation Act, 2011THE FACTORING REGULATION ACT, 2011
General35 sections2011
PDF being processed
The Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007The Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007
Defence43 sectionsEnriched2007
PDF being processed
The Sashastra Seema Bal Act, 2007The Sashastra Seema Bal Act, 2007
Defence156 sectionsEnriched2007
PDF being processed
The Cantonments Act, 2006The Cantonments Act, 2006
Defence360 sectionsEnriched2006
PDF being processed
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992The Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992
Defence157 ordersEnriched1992
PDF being processed
The National Security Guard Act, 1986The National Security Guard Act, 1986
Defence140 sectionsEnriched1986
PDF being processed
The Intelligence Organisations (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985The Intelligence Organisations (Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985
Defence7 sections1985
PDF being processed
The Coast Guard Act, 1978The Coast Guard Act, 1978
Defence122 sectionsEnriched1978
PDF being processed
The Naval and Aircraft Prize Act, 1971The Naval and Aircraft Prize Act, 1971
Defence20 sectionsEnriched1971
PDF being processed
The Border Security Force Act, 1968The Border Security Force Act, 1968
Defence142 ordersEnriched1968
PDF being processed
The Central Industrial Security Force Act, 1968The Central Industrial Security Force Act, 1968
Defence22 sectionsEnriched1968
PDF being processed
The Civil Defence Act, 1968The Civil Defence Act, 1968
Defence20 sections1968
PDF being processed
The Railways (Employment of Members of the Armed Forces) Act, 1965The Railways (Employment of Members of the Armed Forces) Act, 1965
Defence5 sectionsEnriched1965
PDF being processed
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958
Defence7 sectionsEnriched1958
PDF being processed
The Navy Act, 1957The Navy Act, 1957
Defence188 sectionsEnriched1957
PDF being processed
The Railway Protection Force Act, 1957The Railway Protection Force Act, 1957
Defence22 sectionsEnriched1957
PDF being processed
The Lok Sahayak Sena Act, 1956The Lok Sahayak Sena Act, 1956
Defence11 sectionsEnriched1956
PDF being processed
The Reserve and Auxiliary Air Forces Act, 1952The Reserve and Auxiliary Air Forces Act, 1952
Defence36 sectionsEnriched1952
PDF being processed
The Army Act, 1950The Army Act, 1950
Defence196 sectionsEnriched1950
PDF being processed
The Army and Air Force (Disposal of Private Property) Act, 1950The Army and Air Force (Disposal of Private Property) Act, 1950
Defence17 sectionsEnriched1950
PDF being processed
The Central Reserve Police Force Act, 1949The Central Reserve Police Force Act, 1949
Defence19 sectionsEnriched1949
PDF being processed
The National Cadet Corps Act, 1948The National Cadet Corps Act, 1948
Defence12 sectionsEnriched1948
PDF being processed
The Territorial Army Act, 1948The Territorial Army Act, 1948
Defence15 sectionsEnriched1948
PDF being processed
The Armed Forces (Emergency Duties) Act, 1947The Armed Forces (Emergency Duties) Act, 1947
Defence3 sectionsEnriched1947
PDF being processed
The Nagarsena Kanun Evam Niyam Adhiniyam, 1947
Defence15 sections1947
PDF being processed
The Manoeuvres, Field Firing and Artillery Practice Act, 1938The Manoeuvres, Field Firing and Artillery Practice Act, 1938
Defence13 sectionsEnriched1938
PDF being processed
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Central legislation · Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What are Central Acts?
Central Acts are laws enacted by Parliament. Their reach and operation depend on the Constitution, the Act's own provisions and any applicable rules or notifications.
How do I browse Acts by subject or year?
Choose a subject from the directory to jump to its matching Acts, or use the catalogue search and year filters below to narrow the complete list.
Do Central Acts apply uniformly across India?
Not always. An Act may extend to all or only part of India, and its provisions may commence on different dates or be subject to exceptions. Check the Act and relevant notifications.
Does the catalogue guarantee that an Act is current?
No. This is an information and study library, not an official legal record. Text, language and PDF availability vary; verify current provisions and amendments against the Official Gazette and authoritative sources.
Why might text or a PDF be unavailable?
Some source records are incomplete or still being processed. The library marks availability rather than filling gaps with unverified text.
Do Central Acts include rules and regulations?
The directory focuses on Acts in the catalogue. Related rules, regulations, notifications and commencement orders may be published separately and are not guaranteed to be included.