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The Companies Act, 2013

Chapter II - Incorporation of Company and Matters Incidental Thereto (3-22)

Section 3- Formation of Company

[Notification date: 26.06.2014; Effective from 01.04.2014]

Section 3- Formation of Company​ [Corresponds to Section 12 of the Companies Act, 1956]; [Relevant Rule:3,4,6,7 7A of The Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014]

 (1)     A company may be formed for any lawful purpose by—

(a)       seven or more persons, where the company to be formed is to be a public company;

(b)       two or more persons, where the company to be formed is to be a private company; or

(c)       one person, where the company to be formed is to be One Person Company that is to say, a private company,

by subscribing their names or his name to a memorandum and complying with the requirements of this Act in respect of registration:

Provided that the memorandum of One Person Company shall indicate the name of the other person, with his prior written consent in the prescribed form - [Rule 4(1) & (2)], who shall, in the event of the subscriber’s death or his incapacity to contract become the member of the company and the written consent of such person shall also be filed with the Registrar at the time of incorporation of the One Person Company along with its memorandum and articles:

Provided further that such other person may withdraw his consent in such manner as may be prescribed - [Rule 4(3) & (4)]

Provided also that the member of One Person Company may at any time change the name of such other person by giving notice in such manner as may be prescribed[Rule 4(5)]:

Provided also that it shall be the duty of the member of One Person Company to intimate the company the change, if any, in the name of the other person nominated by him by indicating in the memorandum or otherwise within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed - [Rule 4(5)] , and the company shall intimate the Registrar any such change within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed- [Rule 4(5)]:

Provided also that any such change in the name of the person shall not be deemed to be an alteration of the memorandum.

(2)       A company formed under sub-section (1) may be either—

(a)       a company limited by shares; or

(b)       a company limited by guarantee; or

(c)       an unlimited company. 

Provided that a Specified IFSC public company shall be formed only as a company limited by shares  [ proviso inserted vide Notification G.S.R. 08(E) dated 04.01.2017]