The Tamil Nadu Prevention of Couching Act, 1945

DISCLAIMER: This document is being furnished to you for your information by PRS Legislative Research (PRS). The contents of this document have been obtained from sources PRS believes to be reliable. These contents have not been independently verified, and PRS makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or correctness. In some cases the Principal Act and/or Amendment Act may not be available. Principal Acts may or may not include subsequent amendments. For authoritative text, please contact the relevant state department concerned or refer to the latest government publication or the gazette notification. Any person using this material should take their own professional and legal advice before acting on any information contained in this document. PRS or any persons connected with it do not accept any liability arising from the use of this document. PRS or any persons connected with it shall not be in any way responsible for any loss, damage, or distress to any person on account of any action taken or not taken on the basis of this document. The Tamil Nadu Prevention of Couching Act, 1945 Act 12 of 1945 Keyword(s): Couching, Registered Practitioner '[TAMIL NADU] ACT No. XI1 OF 1945 a. ' [THE T TAMIL NADU) PREVENTION OF COUCHING An Act to prevent couching by unqualified pel-sons. W H C I ~ B is i t is expedient to prevent couching by un, qualified persons; '[It is hereby enacted as follows :--I + 1. (I) This Act may be called the l[Tamil ~ a d u ~ ~ ~ ~ ; ~ ; ~ , t ; , Prevention of Couching Act, 1945. (2) It extends to the whole of the 4[State of Tamil Nadu]. 2. 111 this Act- i (i) "couching," mealis the operative displace- ment by the usc of :i ~lcccllc or other instrument, of the opaquc crystalline lens of the eye so as to cause it to be below the axis of vision ; (ii) "registered practitionei" means a person anllI registered under the 'LTainil Nadu] Medical Registra- fadu) tion Act, 1914. :t IV of - - - - - - ----- 14. 1 These words wcrc substit utcd for the word "Madrasw by the Tamil Nadu Adaptation of Laws Order, 1969, as amended by the Tamil Nadu Adaptation of Laws (Second Amendment) Order, 1969. For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Fort St. George Gazette, dated the 13th February 194.5, Part IV-A, page4. This Act was extended to tho Kanyakulnari district and the Shencottah taluk of the Tirunelveli district by section 3 of, and the First Schedule to, the T~,idl Nadu (Tr'rnqferred Territory) Extermion of LAWS Act, 1960 (Ta~?ill Nadu Act 23 of 1960) repealing the corrcs- pending taw in force la that territory, ! 3. Whoever, not being a registered p r a e o n e r , or ? not possessing a quali4cation entitling him to be re- t rmlawfill : ~ h i n & gistered under the '[Tamil Nadu] MedicalRegistration dmmil Act, 1914, performs or attempts to perform coilching Nadu] on a &son whether with or without his consent, or Act IV of .. agrees to perform couching on a person, shall be pun- 1914. ishable with imprisonment for a term whichmay extend to six months or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with both. le. this Act shall be cognizable and bailable and mapbe cornpoundcd with the permission of the Court. (2) No Magistrate sk\ll take cog~<iance of any offence against this Act except- (i) upon the complaint in writing made by;the person on whom couching was performed or an attempt to perform couching was made ; or (ii) upon the report of a Police officer not below the rank of Sub-Inspector ; or (iii) upon the report of any person or class of persons authorised by the 2[State] Government in this behalf. (3) N o Magistrate shall take cogniz.lnce of any oRen'etlcc agilinst this Act, unless the prosecution is instituted within six months from thc dnts on whicli the offence is alleged to have been committed.