- In this Act unless the context otherwise requires, -(1)"approved institution" means a hospital or a medical or teaching institution approved by the State Government for all or any of the purposes of this Act;(2)"authorised officer" means an officer appointed under section 4;(3)"near relative" means any of the following relatives of the deceased, namely a wife, husband, parent, son, daughter, brother and sister and includes any other person who is related to the deceased -(a)by lineal or collateral consanguinity within three degrees in lineal relationship and six degrees in collateral relationship; or(b)by marriage either with the deceased, or with any relative specifically mentioned in this clause or with any other relative within the aforesaid degrees.Explanations. - The expressions "lineal and collateral consanguinity" shall have the meanings assigned to them respectively in sections 25 and 26 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925;(4)"prescribed" means prescribed by rule made under this Act;(5)"unclaimed body" means the body of a deceased person who has no near relative or whose body has not been claimed by any of his near relatives within such period as may be prescribed.
