(1)This Act may be called 1[theMahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act], 2005.
(2)It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir*.
(3)It shall come into force on such date2 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for different States or for different areas in a State and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision in such State or, as the case may be, in such area:
Provided that this Act shall be applicable to the whole of the territory to which it extends within a period of five years from the date of enactment of this Act.