Registration of burial and cremation grounds.

(1) Every owner or person having the control of any place used at the commencement of this Act as a place for burying, cremation or otherwise disposing of the dead, shall, if such place was not already registered under any law applicable thereto, apply to the Gram Panchayat to have such place registered under this Act, failing which it shall be construed as an offence under section 268 of the Indian Penal Code.

(2) If it appears to such Gram Panchayat that there is no owner or person having the control of such place, the Gram Panchayat shall assume such control and register such place or may close it.