Doubt or dispute as to unclaimed body to be referred to officer appointed by State Government

If any doubt or dispute arises, whether the body of any deceased person is an unclaimed body, the matter shall be referred to such officer as the State Government may, by notification, appoint for any area in this behalf and the decision of such officer shall be final and conclusive. (1) Every officer and servant of the Police, Medical and Public Health Department, every officer and servant in the Service of a local authority and every village officer and servant who comes to know of the death of any person in the service of a local authority and every village officer and servant in any public place in any area in which he has no permanent place of residence shall report the fact to the officer-in-charge of the nearest Police Station with the least practicable delay. (2) On receipt of the report under sub-rule (1) the officer-in-charge of the Police Station shall immediately make arrangement for the removal of the dead body to the hospital for preservation from decay and also report the fact to the authorised officer. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (2), it shall be the duty of the Patel or Sarpanch of the village in or near which the dead body may be found to arrange for the removal of the dead body to the nearest hospital for preservation from decay and also to report the fact to the officer-in-charge of the nearest Police Station. (4) The bills for the cost of removal of the dead body to the hospital shall be sent to the officer-in-charge of the hospital concerned which shall be paid by him. The said officer shall also inform the authorised officer of the dead body having been brought to the hospital in his charge and of its preservation. The State Government may, by notification, authorise for the area in which this Act comes into force or any part thereof, one or more officers to whom a report shall be made under section 4 and who shall be empowered to act under section 5.