Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970
17. Rights of persons possessing
qualifications included in Second, Third and Fourth Schedules to be enrolled
(1) Subject to the other provisions contained
in this Act, any medical qualification. included in
the Second, Third or Fourth Schedule shall be sufficient qualification for
enrolment on any State Register of Indian Medicine.
(2) Save as provided in section 28, no person
other than a practitioner of Indian medicine who possesses a recognized medical
qualification and is enrolled on a State Register or the Central Register of
Indian Medicine, -
(a) shall
hold office as Vaid , Siddha ,
Hakim or physician or any other office (by whatever designation called) in
Government or in any institution maintained by a local or other authority;
(b) shall
practice Indian medicine in any State;
(c) shall
be entitled to sign or authenticate a medical or fitness certificate or any
other certificate required by any law to be signed or authenticated by a duly
qualified medical practitioner;
(d) shall be entitled
to give evidence at any inquest or in any court of law as an expert under
section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act, l872 (1 of 1872) on any matter relating
to Indian medicine.
(3) Nothing contained in sub-section (2) shall
affect,-
(a) the
right of a practitioner of Indian medicine enrolled on a State Register of
Indian Medicine to practice Indian medicine in any State merely on the ground
that, on the commencement of this Act, he does not possess a recognized medical
qualification;
(b) the
privileges (including the right to practice any system of medicine) conferred by
or under any law relating to registration of practitioners of Indian medicine
for the time being in force in any State on a practitioner of Indian medicine
enrolled on a State Register of Indian Medicine
(c) the right of a
person to practice Indian medicine in a State in which, on the commencement of
this Act, a State Register of Indian Medicine is not maintained if, on such
commencement, he has been practicing Indian medicine for not less than five
years;
(d) the
rights conferred by or under the Indian Medical Council Act, l956 (102 of 1956)
[including the right to practice medicine as defined in clause (f) of section 2
of the said Act], on persons possessing any qualifications included in the
Schedules to the said Act.
(4) Any person who acts in contravention of
any provision of sub-section (2) shall be punished with imprisonment for a term
which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand
rupees, or with both.