THE KERALA CORNEAL GRAFTING ACT, 1963 An Act to make provision with respect to the use of the eyes of deceased persons for therapeutic purposes in the State of Kerala. Preamble .-WHEREAS it is expedient to make provision with respect to the use of the eyes of deceased persons for therapeutic purposes in the State of Kerala. BE it enacted in the Fourteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows:- Short title, extent and commencement .-(1) This Act may be called the Kerala Corneal Graftingt Act, 1963. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Kerala. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint. Definitions .-In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- (a) "approved institution" means an institution specified in the Schedule and includes any other institution declared by the Government by notification in the Gazette, to be an approved institution for the purposes of this Act; (b) "near relative" means any of the following relatives of the deceased, namely, a wife, husband, parent, son, daughter, borther or sister and includes any other person who is related to the deceased (i) by lineal consanguinity within three degrees or by collateral consanguinity within six degrees or (ii) by marriage with any of the relatives aforesaid. Explanation.- The expressions "lineal consanguinity" and "collateral consanguinity" shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indian Sucession Act, 1925 (Central Act 39 of 1925), and degrees of relationship shall be computed in the manner laid down in that Act. (c) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act. Removal of the eyes of deceased persons .-(1) If any person, either in writing at any time or orally in the presence of to or more persons during his last illness, has expressed an unequivocal request that his eye or eyes be used for therapeutic purposes after his death, the party lawfully in possession of his body after his death, may, unless, the said party has reason to believe that the request was subsequently withdrawn authorise the removal of the eye or eyes from the body for the use for those purposes. |