Section 31: Offences, penalties and procedure

31. Offences, penalties and procedure. — (1) Any person who: — (a) dishonestly makes use of any certificate of registration issued to him or to any other person under this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder, or (b) (b) procures or attempts to procure registration under this Act and the rules and regulations made there­ under by making or producing or causing to be made or produced any false or fraudulent declaration, certificate or representation, whether in writing or otherwise, or (c) fraudulently procures or attempts to procure the entry of a new title or qualification under section 20, or (d) wilfully makes or causes to be made any falsification in the registers maintained or in the certificates issued under this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder, or (e) being the secretary, manager or other officer of any recognised institution referred to in clause (5) of section 24, issues, or authorises the issue of, a certificate to any person or enters, or authorises the entry of, the name of such person in contravention of the provision contained in section 26, shall, on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to three hundred rupees. (2) Any person who, not-being a nurse, midwife, health visitor or auxiliary nurse-midwife registered under this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder, — (a) assumes or uses the name or title of a registered nurse or a registered health visitor or a registered auxiliary nurse-mid wife, as the case may be, or (b) uses any name, title, addition, description. or sign board implying that such person is a registered nurse or a registered midwife, or a registered health visitor or a registered auxiliary nurse-midwife as the case may be, shall, on conviction, be punished with fine not exceeding two hundred rupees in the case of a first offence and with fine not exceeding five hundred rupees in the case of a second or any subsequent offence. (3) Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or the rules or regulations made thereunder shall, if such contravention docs not fall within the provisions of sub­ sections (1) and (2), be punished, on conviction, with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees. (4) No court other than that of a magistrate of the first class shall try an offence punishable under this Act. (5) No court shall take cognizance of an offence punishable under this Act or the rubs or regulations made thereunder except on complaint made by the Registrar with the previous sanction of the Council.