Chapter I PRELIMINARY

1. (1) This Act may be called the Maharashtra Acupuncture System of Therapy Act, 2015.
2. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Maharashtra.
3. (3) It shall come into force on such date1 as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

1. (a) "Acupuncture" means the Acupuncture System of Therapy recommended by the World Health Organization and includes Cupping (an auxiliary method of creating vacuum on some particular Acu point or area with a cup like substance made of Bamboo or Glass or Plastic or Rubber), Pressure (applying pressure by any finger or blunt round object on Acu point where Needle puncture is not possible), Seven star needle (Seven or Five number of Acu needle embedded at an end of a stick to tap on Acu point or specific area or line), Acupuncture Electro Stimulation (applying low intensity electrical stimulation at Acu point), Acu laser (applying low intensity laser at Acu point), Catgut Embedding (Implanting surgical Catgut at Acu point), and such other methods as may be notified, on the recommendation of the Maharashtra Council of Acupuncture, by the State Government ;
2. (b) "Acupuncture institution" means any institution which conducts or offers courses of study and training in Acupuncture ;
3. (c) "affiliated Acupuncture institution" means an Acupuncture institution affiliated to the Council ;
4. (d) "Acupuncture practitioner" means a person who is engaged in the practice of Acupuncture System of Therapy;
5. (e) "Acupuncture personnel" means persons engaged in assisting a registered Acupuncture practitioner in the practice of Acupuncture ;
6. (f) "admission capacity" means the maximum number of students that may be fixed by the Council, from time to time, for being admitted to a course of study or training in Acupuncture conducted by an Acupuncture institution;
7. (g) "Certificate" means a certificate awarded by the Council on completion of such course of study and training and of such duration as may be prescribed by the Council in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization;
8. (h) "Council" means the Maharashtra Council of Acupuncture constituted under section 3 ;
   • (i) "Diploma" means a diploma awarded by the Council on completion of such course of study and training and of such duration, as may be prescribed by the Council in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization ;
9. (j) "Degree" means a degree awarded by the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences on completion of such course of study and training in Acupuncture and of such duration, not inconsistent with the guidelines of the World Health Organization issued in that behalf, as may be prescribed as per the provisions of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences Act, 1998 (Mah. X of 1999);
10. (k) "Eligibility test" means an examination in Acupuncture of such nature and standard as that of the examination held by the Council for the award of a diploma; held or caused to be held only once by the Council, for the purpose of registration under this Act, immediately after the commencement of this Act on such date as the Council may determine ;
11. (l) "Government" or "State Government" means the Government of Maharashtra;
12. (m) "Member" means a Member of the Council ;
13. (n) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules ;
14. (o) "President" means the President of the Council ;
15. (p) "recognized Acupuncture qualification" means a qualification in Acupuncture system of therapy recognized by the Council ;
16. (q) "recognized research institute" means an institute which conducts research in or related to Acupuncture and recognized by the Council ;
17. (r) "Register" means the Registers of Acupuncture practitioners and Acupuncture personnel maintained under this Act ;
18. (s) "Registered Acupuncture practitioner" means an Acupuncture practitioner registered under the provisions of this Act ;
19. (t) "Registered Acupuncture personnel" means an Acupuncture personnel registered under the provisions of this Act ;
20. (u) "Registrar" means the Registrar of the Council appointed under section 13 ;
    • (v) "regulations" means the regulations made by the Council under this Act ;
21. (w) "rules" means the rules made by the State Government under this Act ;
    • (x) "section" means a section of this Act ;
22. (y) "Teacher" means any person appointed by an Acupuncture institution affiliated to, or recognized by, the Council to hold a post in teaching ;
23. (z) "Vice-President" means the Vice-President of the Council.