To what Societies Act applies is defined under Section 20 of Societies Registration Act 1860
The following societies may be registered under this Act:-
Charitable societies, the military orphan funds or societies established at the several presidencies of India, societies established for the 3 [promotion of science, literature or the fine arts], for instruction, the diffusion of useful knowledge, the diffusion of political education, the foundation or maintenance of libraries or reading-rooms for general use among the members or open to the public, or public museums and galleries of paintings and other works of art, collections of natural history, mechanical and philosophical inventions, instruments, or designs.
SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT 1860
Section 1 - Societies formed by memorandum of association and registration
Section 2 - Memorandum of association
Section 3 - Registration and fees
Section 4 - Annual list of managing body to be filed
Section 5 - Property of society how vested
Section 6 - Suits by and against societies
Section 7 - Suits not to abate
Section 8 - Enforcement of judgment against society
Section 9 - Recovery of penalty accruing under bye-law
Section 10 - Members liable to be sued as strangers
Section 11 - Members guilty of offences punishable as strangers
Section 12 - Societies enabled to alter, extend, or abridge their purposes
Section 13 - Provision for dissolution of societies and adjustment of their affairs
Section 14 - Upon a dissolution no member to receive profit
Section 16 - Governing body defined
Section 17 - Registration of societies formed before Act
Section 18 - Such societies to file memorandum, etc., with Registrar of Joint-stock Companies