List of Popular Indian Acts

Indian Acts encompass a wide range of subjects, from civil rights and criminal justice to economic regulations and social welfare. Each act is metic

Indian Acts

India, a nation with a rich history and diverse culture, is governed by a robust set of laws known as Indian Acts. These legislative measures are crucial in maintaining order, protecting rights, and ensuring justice for all citizens. Indian Acts encompass a wide range of subjects, from civil rights and criminal justice to economic regulations and social welfare. 

Each act is meticulously crafted to address specific issues and challenges, reflecting the dynamic nature of Indian society. Understanding Indian Acts is essential for anyone looking to grasp the legal landscape of this vast country. 

By delving into these legislative documents, one can gain insight into how India's legal system operates and how it continues to evolve. Indian Acts not only uphold the rule of law but also embody the principles of democracy and fairness that are foundational to India's governance.

Acts in India

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Constitution of India	1950	Constitutional
2	General Clauses Act	1897	General
3	Official Secrets Act	1923	General
4	Right to Information Act	2005	General
5	Representation of the People Act	1951	General
6	Advocates Act	1961	General
7	Code of Civil Procedure	1908	Civil
8	Contempt of Courts Act	1971	Civil
9	Legal Services Authorities Act	1987	Civil
10	Commercial Courts Act	2015	Civil
11	Indian Evidence Act	1872	Civil
12	Indian Contract Act	1872	Civil
13	Arbitration and Conciliation Act	1996	Civil
14	Transfer of Property Act	1882	Property
15	Registration Act	1908	Property
16	Indian Stamp Act	1899	Property
17	Hindu Marriage Act	1955	Family
18	Hindu Succession Act	1956	Family
19	Special Marriage Act	1954	Family
20	Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act	1939	Family
21	Companies Act	2013	Commercial
22	Partnership Act	1932	Commercial
23	LLP Act	2008	Commercial
24	Sale of Goods Act	1930	Commercial
25	Negotiable Instruments Act	1881	Commercial
26	Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code	2016	Commercial
27	Land Acquisition Act	2013	Property

Criminal Laws

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita	2023	New Criminal Law
2	Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita	2023	New Criminal Law
3	Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam	2023	New Criminal Law
4	Indian Penal Code (IPC)	1860	Old Law
5	Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)	1973	Old Law
6	Indian Evidence Act	1872	Old Law
7	Prevention of Corruption Act	1988	Special Law
8	SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act	1989	Special Law
9	Dowry Prohibition Act	1961	Social Law
10	POCSO Act	2012	Child Protection
11	Juvenile Justice Act	2015	Child Law
12	NDPS Act	1985	Drug Law
13	Arms Act	1959	Security
14	UAPA	1967	Security
15	PMLA	2002	Economic Crime
16	Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act	1956	Social Law
17	Motor Vehicles Act	1988	General Law
18	National Investigation Agency Act	2008	Security
19	Explosives Act	1884	Security
20	Explosive Substances Act	1908	Security
21	Official Secrets Act	1923	Security
22	Indecent Representation of Women Act	1986	Social Law
23	IT Act (Cyber Crime)	2000	Cyber Law
24	Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act	2013	Women Law
25	Domestic Violence Act	2005	Women Law
26	Prisoners Act	1900	Old Law
27	Identification of Prisoners Act	1920	Old Law
28	Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act	2022	New Law
29	Fugitive Economic Offenders Act	2018	Economic Crime
30	Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act	1984	General Law
31	Wildlife Protection Act	1972	Environmental
32	Environment Protection Act	1986	Environmental

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Business, Commercial, and Corporate Laws

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Indian Contract Act	1872	Core Business
2	Companies Act	2013	Corporate
3	Partnership Act	1932	Business
4	LLP Act	2008	Corporate
5	Negotiable Instruments Act	1881	Finance
6	Sale of Goods Act	1930	Business
7	FEMA	1999	Finance
8	Securities Contracts Regulation Act	1956	Finance
9	SEBI Act	1992	Finance
10	Depositories Act	1996	Finance
11	Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code	2016	Insolvency
12	Competition Act	2002	Competition
13	MSME Development Act	2006	MSME
14	Patents Act	1970	IPR
15	Trademarks Act	1999	IPR
16	Copyright Act	1957	IPR
17	GI Act	1999	IPR
18	Designs Act	2000	IPR
19	Consumer Protection Act	2019	Consumer
20	Factories Act	1948	Labour
21	Industrial Disputes Act	1947	Labour
22	Trade Unions Act	1926	Labour
23	Payment of Wages Act	1936	Labour
24	Minimum Wages Act	1948	Labour
25	Payment of Bonus Act	1965	Labour
26	Payment of Gratuity Act	1972	Labour
27	EPF Act	1952	Labour
28	ESI Act	1948	Labour
29	Maternity Benefit Act	1961	Labour
30	Code on Wages	2019	Labour Code
31	Industrial Relations Code	2020	Labour Code
32	Social Security Code	2020	Labour Code
33	OSH Code	2020	Labour Code
34	Banking Regulation Act	1949	Banking
35	RBI Act	1934	Banking
36	Insurance Act	1938	Insurance
37	IRDAI Act	1999	Insurance
38	SARFAESI Act	2002	Recovery
39	Recovery of Debts Act	1993	Recovery
40	FCRA	2010	Foreign
41	Foreign Trade Act	1992	Trade
42	IT Act (E-commerce)	2000	Cyber
43	GST Acts	2017	Tax
44	Customs Act	1962	Tax
45	Central Excise Act	1944	Tax
46	Income Tax Act, 1961	1961	Tax
47	Income Tax Act, 2026	2026	Tax

Banking and Finance Laws

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Reserve Bank of India Act	1934	Core Banking
2	Banking Regulation Act	1949	Core Banking
3	State Bank of India Act	1955	Banking
4	Regional Rural Banks Act	1976	Banking
5	IDBI Act	1964	Banking
6	Banking Companies Acquisition Acts	1970/1980	Banking
7	DICGC Act	1961	Finance
8	Negotiable Instruments Act	1881	Finance
9	SARFAESI Act	2002	Recovery
10	Recovery of Debts Act	1993	Recovery
11	Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code	2016	Insolvency
12	Credit Information Companies Act	2005	Finance
13	Payment and Settlement Systems Act	2007	Digital Payments
14	FEMA	1999	Foreign Exchange
15	FCRA	2010	Foreign Funding
16	PMLA	2002	Money Laundering
17	Benami Transactions Act	1988	Anti-Evasion
18	Chit Funds Act	1982	Finance
19	Prize Chits Act	1978	Finance
20	Public Debt Act	1944	Govt Finance
21	Government Securities Act	2006	Securities
22	Indian Coinage Act	2011	Currency
23	Co-operative Societies Act	1912	Co-op Banking
24	Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act	2002	Co-op Banking
25	IRDAI Act	1999	Insurance
26	LIC Act	1956	Insurance
27	General Insurance Nationalisation Act	1972	Insurance
28	MSME Development Act	2006	MSME Finance
29	Factoring Regulation Act	2011	Finance
30	Banking Laws Amendment Act	2012	Amendment
31	State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act	1959	Historical
32	Finance Acts (Annual)	Every Year	Taxation

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Taxation Laws

Sr. No.	Act / Provision	Year	Category
1	Income-tax Act	1961	Direct Tax
2	Income-tax Rules	Various	Direct Tax
3	Finance Acts (Annual)	Every Year	Direct Tax
4	GST Acts (CGST, IGST, UTGST)	2017	Indirect Tax
5	GST Compensation to States Act	2017	Indirect Tax
6	Customs Act	1962	Indirect Tax
7	Customs Tariff Act	1975	Indirect Tax
8	Central Excise Act	1944	Indirect Tax
9	Central Sales Tax Act	1956	Indirect Tax
10	Service Tax Laws	1994	Historical
11	Wealth-tax Act	1957	Historical
12	Gift-tax Act	1958	Historical
13	Estate Duty Act	1953	Historical
14	Provisional Collection of Taxes Act	1931	General
15	Taxation Amendment Act	2020	Tax Reform
16	Securities Transaction Tax (STT)	2004	Direct Tax
17	Equalisation Levy	2016	Digital Tax
18	Advance Ruling (Income Tax & GST)	Various	Procedure
19	Black Money Act	2015	Anti-Evasion
20	Benami Transactions Act	1988	Anti-Evasion
21	Vivad se Vishwas Act	2020	Dispute Resolution
22	Voluntary Disclosure Schemes	Various	Historical

Property and Land Laws

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Transfer of Property Act	1882	Core Property
2	Registration Act	1908	Registration
3	Indian Stamp Act	1899	Stamp Duty
4	Indian Easements Act	1882	Property Rights
5	Indian Succession Act	1925	Succession
6	Partition Act	1893	Property Division
7	Specific Relief Act	1963	Remedies
8	Benami Transactions Act	1988	Anti-Benami
9	Land Acquisition Act	2013	Land Acquisition
10	Urban Land Ceiling Act	1976	Historical
11	Land Revenue Codes	Various	State Laws
12	Rent Control Acts	Various	State Laws
13	Waqf Act	1995	Religious Property
14	Public Premises Eviction Act	1971	Public Property
15	Ancient Monuments Act	1958	Heritage
16	Ancient Monuments Declaration Act	1951	Heritage
17	Enemy Property Act	1968	Special Property
18	Evacuee Property Act	1950	Historical
19	Ayodhya Acquisition Act	1993	Special Case
20	Cantonments Act	2006	Land Use
21	Forest Act	1927	Forest Land
22	Forest Rights Act	2006	Tribal Rights
23	Mines and Minerals Act	1957	Mineral Rights
24	Coal Bearing Areas Act	1957	Land Acquisition
25	Petroleum Pipelines Act	1962	Land Use

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Labour and Employment Laws

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Factories Act	1948	Industrial Safety
2	Industrial Disputes Act	1947	Industrial Relations
3	Trade Unions Act	1926	Union Law
4	Minimum Wages Act	1948	Wages
5	Payment of Wages Act	1936	Wages
6	Payment of Bonus Act	1965	Wages
7	Payment of Gratuity Act	1972	Welfare
8	EPF Act	1952	Social Security
9	ESI Act	1948	Health Security
10	Maternity Benefit Act	1961	Women Welfare
11	Equal Remuneration Act	1976	Merged
12	Contract Labour Act	1970	Labour Regulation
13	Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act	1979	Labour Regulation
14	Building & Construction Workers Act	1996	Construction
15	Child Labour Act	1986	Child Protection
16	Apprentices Act	1961	Training
17	Employment Exchanges Act	1959	Employment
18	Employees Compensation Act	1923	Compensation
19	Bonded Labour Abolition Act	1976	Social Justice
20	Beedi and Cigar Workers Act	1966	Industry Specific
21	Cine Workers Act	1981	Industry Specific
22	Dock Workers Act	1948	Industry Specific
23	Weekly Holidays Act	1942	Work Conditions
24	Plantations Labour Act	1951	Plantation
25	Sales Promotion Employees Act	1976	Service Sector
26	Code on Wages	2019	New Labour Code
27	Industrial Relations Code	2020	New Labour Code
28	Social Security Code	2020	New Labour Code
29	OSH Code	2020	New Labour Code

Family and Personal Laws

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Hindu Marriage Act	1955	Hindu Law
2	Hindu Succession Act	1956	Hindu Law
3	Hindu Minority & Guardianship Act	1956	Hindu Law
4	Hindu Adoptions & Maintenance Act	1956	Hindu Law
5	Special Marriage Act	1954	Interfaith Marriage
6	Indian Divorce Act	1869	Christian Law
7	Indian Christian Marriage Act	1872	Christian Law
8	Parsi Marriage & Divorce Act	1936	Parsi Law
9	Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act	1939	Muslim Law
10	Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Act	1937	Muslim Law
11	Muslim Women Divorce Rights Act	1986	Muslim Law
12	Guardians and Wards Act	1890	Guardianship
13	Family Courts Act	1984	Family Courts
14	Child Marriage Restraint Act	1929	Historical
15	Prohibition of Child Marriage Act	2006	Child Protection
16	Domestic Violence Act	2005	Women Protection
17	Juvenile Justice Act	2015	Child Law
18	Surrogacy Regulation Act	2021	New Law
19	ART Regulation Act	2021	New Law
20	Senior Citizens Welfare Act	2007	Welfare
21	Adoption under JJ Act	2015	Adoption

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Cyber and Technology Laws

Sr. No.	Act / Rule / Policy	Year	Category
1	Information Technology Act	2000	Core IT Law
2	Information Technology (Amendment) Act	2008	Core IT Law
3	IT Rules (Intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code)	2021	Digital Regulation
4	Indian Telegraph Act	1885	Telecom
5	Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act	1933	Telecom
6	Telegraph Wires Act	1950	Telecom
7	Cable Television Networks Act	1995	Broadcasting
8	TRAI Act	1997	Telecom Regulation
9	TRAI Amendment Acts	Various	Telecom Regulation
10	Aadhaar Act	2016	Digital Identity
11	Digital Personal Data Protection Act	2023	Data Protection
12	Cyber Appellate Tribunal (Merged with TDSAT)	—	Adjudication
13	Electronic Delivery of Services Act	2011	E-Governance
14	National Digital Communications Policy	2018	Policy
15	Indian Space Activities Bill	Proposed	Space Law
16	Drone Rules	2021	Aviation Tech

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Consumer and Environmental Laws

Sr. No.	Act / Rule	Year	Category
1	Consumer Protection Act	2019	Consumer Law
2	Legal Metrology Act	2009	Standards
3	Essential Commodities Act	1955	Consumer Protection
4	Bureau of Indian Standards Act	2016	Quality Standards
5	Drugs and Cosmetics Act	1940	Health Safety
6	Food Safety and Standards Act	2006	Food Safety
7	Prevention of Food Adulteration Act	1954	Historical
8	Packaged Commodities Rules	Various	Labelling
9	Weights and Measures Laws	—	Merged
10	Environment Protection Act	1986	Environment
11	Air Pollution Act	1981	Pollution
12	Water Pollution Act	1974	Pollution
13	Water Cess Act	1977	Historical
14	Forest Conservation Act	1980	Forest
15	Indian Forest Act	1927	Forest
16	Wildlife Protection Act	1972	Wildlife
17	Biological Diversity Act	2002	Biodiversity
18	Public Liability Insurance Act	1991	Liability
19	National Green Tribunal Act	2010	Judicial
20	Hazardous Waste Rules	1989	Waste Management
21	Ozone Rules	2000	Environment Rules
22	E-Waste Management Rules	2016	Waste Management
23	Plastic Waste Management Rules	2016	Waste Management
24	Coastal Regulation Zone Notifications	—	Coastal Regulation
25	Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act	2016	Forest

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12. Human Rights and Social Welfare Laws

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Protection of Human Rights Act	1993	Human Rights
2	SC/ST Atrocities Act	1989	Social Justice
3	Protection of Civil Rights Act	1955	Equality
4	Representation of the People Act	1950/1951	Democracy
5	Right to Information Act	2005	Transparency
6	Right to Education Act	2009	Education
7	Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act	2016	Disability Rights
8	Transgender Persons Act	2019	Equality
9	Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act	2013	Women Protection
10	Domestic Violence Act	2005	Women Protection
11	Prohibition of Child Marriage Act	2006	Child Protection
12	Juvenile Justice Act	2015	Child Welfare
13	POCSO Act	2012	Child Protection
14	Bonded Labour Abolition Act	1976	Labour Freedom
15	Child Labour Act	1986	Child Labour
16	Immoral Traffic Prevention Act	1956	Social Protection
17	National Food Security Act	2013	Food Security
18	MGNREGA	2005	Employment
19	Senior Citizens Welfare Act	2007	Senior Citizens
20	Unorganised Workers Social Security Act	2008	Labour Welfare
21	Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act	1996	Labour Welfare
22	Street Vendors Act	2014	Livelihood
23	Forest Rights Act	2006	Tribal Rights
24	Manual Scavengers Act	1993/2013	Social Justice
25	Safai Karamcharis Act	1993	Social Justice
26	Minimum Wages Act	1948	Labour Welfare
27	Maternity Benefit Act	1961	Women Welfare

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Education and Health Laws

Sr. No.	Act Name	Year	Category
1	Right to Education Act	2009	Education
2	UGC Act	1956	Higher Education
3	AICTE Act	1987	Technical Education
4	NCTE Act	1993	Teacher Education
5	National Medical Commission Act	2019	Medical Education
6	Indian Nursing Council Act	1947	Medical Education
7	Rehabilitation Council of India Act	1992	Special Education
8	Apprentices Act	1961	Skill Development
9	Institutes of National Importance Acts	Various	Top Institutions
10	Central Universities Act	2009	Universities
11	Indian Medical Council Act	1956	Replaced
12	Dentists Act	1948	Healthcare
13	Pharmacy Act	1948	Healthcare
14	Clinical Establishments Act	2010	Regulation
15	Epidemic Diseases Act	1897	Public Health
16	Disaster Management Act	2005	Emergency
17	Drugs and Cosmetics Act	1940	Drugs Regulation
18	Drugs & Magic Remedies Act	1954	Drug Control
19	NDPS Act	1985	Controlled Substances
20	Food Safety Act	2006	Food Safety
21	PCPNDT Act	1994	Medical Ethics
22	MTP Act	1971	Reproductive Rights
23	Surrogacy Act	2021	New Law
24	ART Act	2021	New Law
25	Mental Healthcare Act	2017	Mental Health
26	HIV/AIDS Act	2017	Health Rights
27	COTPA Act	2003	Tobacco Control
28	Transplantation of Human Organs Act	1994	Organ Transplant
29	NCISM Act	2020	Indian Medicine
30	NCH Act	2020	Homeopathy

This is not an exhaustive list, but it covers many of the important statutes that form the backbone of Indian law. For more detailed information, one can refer to government websites or legal databases like India Code or the Ministry of Law and Justice.