(1) This Act may be called the Code on Social Security, 2020.
    (2) It extends to the whole of India.
    (3) It shall come into force on such date¹ as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Code and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Code shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.
    (4) The applicability of the Chapters specified in columns (1) and (2) of the First Schedule shall, without prejudice to the applicability of the other provisions of this Code, be such as is specified in corresponding entry in column (3) of that Schedule.
    (5) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (4), where it appears to the Central Provident Fund Commissioner, whether on an application made to him by the employer of an establishment or otherwise, that the employer and majority of employees of that establishment have agreed that the provisions of Chapter III should be made applicable to that establishment, the Central Provident Fund Commissioner, may, by notification, apply the provisions of the said Chapter to that establishment on and from the date of such agreement or from any subsequent date specified in the agreement:
    Provided that where the employer of an establishment to which the provisions of Chapter III applied under this sub-section desires to come out of such applicability, he may make an application to the Central Provident Fund Commissioner and the Central Provident Fund Commissioner shall, if satisfied that there is an agreement between the employer and majority of the employees to this effect, make the provisions of that Chapter inapplicable to such establishment, in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
    (6) The Central Government may, after giving not less than two months' notice of its intention so to do, by notification, apply the provisions of this Code to any establishment employing not less than such number of persons as may be specified in the notification.
    (7) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (4), where it appears to the Director General of the Corporation, whether on an application made to him by the employer of an establishment or otherwise, that the employer and majority of employees of that establishment have agreed that the provisions of Chapter IV should be made applicable to that establishment, the Director General of the Corporation, may, by notification, apply the provisions of the said Chapter to that establishment on and from the date of such agreement or from any subsequent date specified in the agreement:
    Provided that where the employer of an establishment to which the provisions of Chapter IV applied under this sub-section desires to come out of such applicability, he may make an application to the Director General of the Corporation and Director General of the Corporation shall, if satisfied that there is an agreement between the employer and majority of the employees to this effect, make the provisions of that Chapter inapplicable to such establishment, in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
    (8) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (4), an establishment to which any Chapter applies at the first instance shall continue to be applied thereafter even if the number of employees therein at any subsequent time falls below the threshold specified in the First Schedule in respect of that Chapter.