Definitions

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires.

1. (a) "approved institution" means a hospital or medical, teaching institute approved by the State Government for all or any of the purposes of this Act;
2. (b) "authorised officer" means an officer authorised under section 3;
3. (c) "near relative" means any of the following relatives of the deceased, namely :- parents, children, brother, sister or spouse; and includes any other person who is related to the deceased -
   • (i) by lineal or collateral consanguinity within three degrees in lineal relationship and six degrees in collateral relationship, or
   • (ii) by marriage either with the deceased or with any relative specifically mentioned in this clause or with any other relative within the aforesaid degrees. Explanation.- The expression "lineal and collateral consanguinity" shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Succession Act, 1925.
4. (d) "natural death" means the death that occurs from natural causes such as disease or old age and not caused by suicide or killing by another or by an animal or by machinery or by an accident or death not caused under circumstances raising a reasonable suspicion that some other person has killed the deceased;
5. (e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
6. (f) "unclaimed body" means the body of a deceased person who has no near relative or whose body has not been claimed by any of his near relatives within such period as may be prescribed.