Short title, extent and commence ment.
Definitions ORISSA ACT 46 OF 1975 *THE ORISSA ANATOMY ACT, 1975 [ReceiYed the assent of the Governor on the 3rd December 1975, first published in an extraordinary ;ssue of the Orissa Gazette, dated the 12th December 1975] AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE SUPPLY OF UNCLAIMED BOBIES OF DECEASHD PERSONS TO HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL AND TEACHING INSTITUTIONS FOR THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES OR FOR THE PURPOSE OF ANATOMICAL EXAMINATION AND DISSECTION BE it enacted by the Legi!<la ture of the State of Orissa in the.
Twenty-sixth Year of the Republic of India, as follows :-
1. (I) This Act may be called the Orissa Anatomy Act, 197S.
(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Orissa.
(3) It shall come into force on such date and in such areas as the State Government may: by notification, appoint and different dat~s may be appointed for different areas.
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires-
(a) ''approved institution" means a hospital or a medical or teaching institution approved by the State Government for all or any of the purposes of this Act ;
(b) "Authorised Officer" means an officer appointed by the State Government under section 4 ;
(c) "near relative" means any of the foUowing relatives of the deceased, namely, wife, husband, parent, son, daughter, hrotber or sister and includes any other person who is related to the deceased-
(i) by lineal consanguinity within three degrees or by collateral consanguinity within six degrees ; or
(ii) by marriage with the deceased or with any of the aforesaid relatives.
Explanation-The expressions "lineal consanguinity" and ''collateral consanguinity'' shall have the same meanings as assigned to them respectively in sections 25 and 26 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 ; 39 of 1925'
(d) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act ;
(e) "unclaimed body" means the body of a deceased person who has no near relatives or whose body has not been claimed by any of his near relatives within such time as may be prescribed.
•For the Bill see Orissa Gaze/te, Extraordinary, dated the 10th November, 1975 (.No.1785).
' • • • • ' • • • 145 l:!oubt or 3. If any doubt or dispute arises as to whether a person is or is :e:,u::1:tiv~ not a near relative of the deceased, the matter shall be referred to the to be referred Authorised Officer whose dechion on such reference shall be final and i~:ig;~rs conclusive and pending such decision, the body of the deceased person ·shall be preserved from decay by such person and in such manner as may be prescribed.
Power of 4. The State Government may, by notification, appoint for such State b . . l 'fi . ~ h Government area as may e specified int 1e not1 cation, any person to per1orm t e to ahPJJ<?indt functions of an Authorised Officer under this Act and the rules made Aut onse d Officer. the1eun er.
unclaimed 5. (1) Where a person under treatment in a hospital established or ~ody.fn1 maintained by, or vesting in the State Government or any local prj~~! ~nd authority, dies in such hospital and his body is unclaimed, the hubli~ pt::s authorities in charge of such hospital shall, with the least practicable d~it ~ith. delay, report the fact to the Authorised Officer who shall handover the unclaimed body to the authorities in charge of an approved institution for the purpose of conducting post-mortem or anatomical examination, or for any therapeutic purpose, or for dissection, surgical operation or research work.
Offence
(2) Where a person dies in a hospital other than a hospital referred to in sub-section (1), or in a prison, and his body is uncJaimed, the authorities in charge of such hospital or prison shall, with the least practicable delay, report the fact to the Authorised Officer who shall handover the unclaimed body to the authorities in charge of an approved institution for any of the purposes specified in sub section ( 1).
(3) When a person having no permanent place of residence in the area where his death has taken place dies in any rublic place in such area and his body is unclaimed, the Authorised Officer of that area shall take possession of such body and hand it over to the authorities in charge of an approvea institution for any of the purposes specified in sub-section (l).
(4) Where there is any doubt icgarding the cause of de2.th or where the Authorised Officer considers it for any reason whatsoever expedient so to do, he shall forward the unclaimed body to the police officer referred to in section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. 2 or 1914
(5) Where any unclaimed body taken possession of by the Authorised Officer under this section is not required by the authority in charge of an approved institution for the purposes specified in sub section (J), it shall be disposed of in the prescribed manner .
(6) When post-mortem or anatomical examination or dissectioo or surgical operation or any research work on the unclaimed body is over, the remains thereof, if any, shall be disposed of in the prescribed manner.
6. Whoever with the intention of defeating the provisions of this Act, disposes of or abets the disposal of, an unclaimed body, save as permitted by this Act or obstructs any Authorised Officer or authority ia charge of an approved institution from handing over or taking possession of or removing or using such dead b0dy for any of (82 Law-37) 146 the purposes specified in this Act, shall, on conviction, be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees and in default, with simple imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months.
DPu1tr of d 7. All officers and servants of the Police, Medical and Public o ice an .
other officers Health Departments, all officers and servants m the employ of a tobf8.si~t in local Authority, and all village officers and servants shall be bound ~s:!~;~gn of to take all reasonable measures to assist the Authorised Officer in buncd~aimed taking possession of an unclaimed body. o 1es.
Protection of 8. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against petr~ons de any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to ac 1ng un r .
this Act. be done under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
omcers to be 9. All officers appointed or authorised to act under this Act shall public be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 acrvants.
of the Indian Penal Code.
45 of U60 Power to 10. (1) The State Government may, by notification, make rules make rules. for carrying out the purposes of this Act.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the follow ing matters, namely:-
(a) the time within which the body of a deceased person may be claimed by a near relative;
(b) the person by whom and the manner in which the body of a deceased person sha11 be preserved from decay;
(c) the manner in which an unclaimed body or the remains thereof are to be disposed of ; and
(d) any other matter which may be or is required to be prescribed under this Act.
(3) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made, before the State Legislature while it is in session for a total period of fourteen days, which may be comprised in one or more sessions, and if during the said period, the State Legislature makes modifications, if any, therein, the rules shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form; so, however, that any such modification shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.
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