Registered Practitioners competent to give valid certificates or expert evidence

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, a birth or a death certificate, or a medical or fitness certificate, or any other certificate required by any law to be signed or authenticated by a duly qualified practitioner, shall be valid only if it has been signed or authenticated by a practitioner registered under— (i) this Act ; (ii) the Bombay Medical Act, 1912, or the said Act as adapted and applied to the Saurashtra area of the State or any other corresponding law for the time being in force in any part of the State ; (iii) any law for the time being in force in relation to the qualifications and registration of Homoeopathic practitioners in any part of the State; or (iv) the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. (2) No person other than a practitioner registered under any of the laws specified in sub-section (1) shall be qualified to give evidence at any inquest or in any Court of law as an expert under section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act 1872 on any matter relating to medicine, surgery or midwifery.