Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
The State Government may, by notification, appoint for such area as may be specified in the notification, any person to perform the functions of an authorised officer under this Act and the rules made thereunder. S. (1) Where a person under treatment in a hospital, whether established by, or vesting in, or maintained by, the State Govern- ment or any local authority, dies in such hospital and his body is unclaimed, the authorities in charge of such hospital shall with the least practicable delay report the fact to the authorised officer and such officer shall then hand over the unclaimed body to the authorities in charge of .an approved institution for any therapeutic purpose or for the purpose of conducting anatomical examination, dissection, surgical operation or research work. (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 unclaimed, the authorities in charge of such hospital or prison shall with the least practicable delay report the fact to the authorised officer, and such officer shall hand over the unclaimed body to the authorities in charge of an approved institution for any purpose specified in sub- section (1). Duty of Police and other officers to assist in obtain- ing possession of unclaimed bodies. Protection of persons acting under the Act. Officers to be public servants. (3) Where a person having no permanent place of residence in the area where his death has taken place dies in any public place in such area and his body is unclaimed, the authorised officer of that area shall take possession of the body and shall hand it over to the autho- rities in charge of an approved institution for any purpose specified in sub -section (1).