Trust Registration — Guides, Updates & Practical Insights

Sections 1 and 2 of the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890: title, extent, commencement and what "charitable purpose" means

The Act extends to the whole of India and came into force on the first day of October, 1890 (section 1). In the Act, a charitable purpose includes relief of the poor, education, medical relief and the advancement of any other object of general public utility, but does not include a purpose which...

Sections 3 and 3-A of the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890: the Treasurer of Charitable Endowments as a corporation sole, and which Government is the appropriate Government

The Central Government may appoint an officer by the name of his office as Treasurer of Charitable Endowments for India, and a State Government may appoint one for the State (section 3(1)). For taking, holding and transferring property under the Act the Treasurer is a corporation sole with...

Section 4 of the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890: orders vesting trust property in the Treasurer of Charitable Endowments

Where property is held or is to be applied in trust for a charitable purpose, the appropriate Government, if it thinks fit, may on application order, by notification in the Official Gazette, that the property be vested in the Treasurer of Charitable Endowments, on terms agreed with the applicants...

Section 5 of the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890: schemes for the administration of property vested in the Treasurer and their modification

On application, and with the concurrence of the applicants, the appropriate Government may settle a scheme for the administration of property that has been or is to be vested in the Treasurer, and may appoint persons, by name or office, other than the Treasurer, to administer it (section 5(1)). It...

Section 6 of the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890: how to apply for a vesting order or a scheme

The application for a vesting order or a scheme "must be made" (a) if the property is already held in trust for a charitable purpose, by the person acting in the administration of the trust, or, where more than one acts, by those persons or a majority of them; and (b) if the property is to be...

5 min read03 Oct 2026

Sections 8 and 9 of the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890: the Treasurer as a bare trustee and the annual list of vested properties

The Treasurer "shall not, as such Treasurer, act in the administration of any trust" whose property is vested in him (section 8(1)). He keeps a separate account of each property that consists of securities for money and applies the property or income as the vesting order or scheme provides (section...

Sections 10–12 of the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890: limits on the Treasurer's functions, continuance of the office and transfer of property from one Treasurer to another

The Treasurer is "always a sole trustee"; he takes or holds property only under the Act and transfers it only on a decree divesting him or on a direction from the authority by whose order the property vested in him (section 10(1)). A direction may require him to sell the property and, with...

Sections 13–15 of the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890: rule-making power, indemnity to the Government and the Treasurer, and the saving for the Advocate-General and Official Trustee

The appropriate Government may make rules by notification in the Official Gazette for fees payable to Government on vested property, for publication of schemes, for the forms and audit of the Treasurer's accounts, and generally to carry out the Act (section 13). No suit lies against the Government...

Sections 1 and 2 of the Charitable and Religious Trusts Act, 1920: extent, State notifications excluding areas or trusts, and the meaning of "Court"

The Act "extends to the whole of India", and the proviso lets the Government of any State, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that the Act or any part of it shall not extend to that State, to a specified area, or to a specified trust or class of trusts (section 1). In the Act, "Court"...