The Lunacy Act

The Indian Lunacy Act of 1912 has the following definition. "Medical practitioner means a holder of a qualification to practice medicine and surgery which can be registered in the UK in accordance with the law for the time being in force for the registration of medical practitioners, and includes any person declared by general or special order of the state government to be a medical practitioner for the purposes of this Act."

Section 12 is also intriguing. "When any European who is subject to the provisions of the Army Act, the Naval Discipline Act or that Act as modified by the Indian Navy (Discipline) Act, 1934, the Air Force Act or the Indian Air Force Act, 1932, has been declared a lunatic in accordance with the provisions of the military, naval or air force regulations in the force for the time being and it appears to any administrative medical officer that he should be removed to an asylum, such administrative medical officer may, if he thinks fit, make a reception order under his hand for the admission of the said lunatic into any asylum which has been duly authorised for the purpose by the central government."

Why do statute books still have the Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and Assam Laws Act of 1912? "Whereas a Governor and an Executive Council has been appointed for the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal; and whereas, by Proclamation published under Notification No. 290, dated the twenty-second day of March, 1912, the Governor-General in Council, with the sanction of His Majesty, has been pleased to declare and appoint that, on and from the first day of April, 1912, the territory mentioned in Schedule A shall be and continue subject to the said Presidency of Fort William in Bengal; and whereas, by Proclamation published under Notification No.289, dated the twenty-second day of March, 1912, the Governor-General, with the sanction of His Majesty, has been pleased to constitute the territory mentioned in Schedule B to be, for the purposes of the Indian Councils Act, 1861 (24 & 25 Vict., C.67.), a Province to which the provisions of that Act touching the making of Laws and Regulations for the peace and good government of the Presidencies of Fort St George and Bombay shall be applicable, and to direct that the said Province shall be called the Province of Bihar and Orissa, and further to appoint a Lieutenant-Governor of that Province; And Whereas, by Proclamation published under Notification No. 291, dated the twenty-second day of March, 1912, the Governor-General in Council, with the sanction and approbation of the Secretary of State for India, has been pleased to take under his immediate authority and management the territory mentioned in Schedule C, which was formerly included within the Province of Eastern Bengal and Assam, and to form the same into a Chief Commissionership, to be called the Chief Commissionership of Assam, and further to appoint a Chief Commissioner therefor; And Whereas it is expedient to make certain provisions regarding the application of the law in force in the territories affected by the said Proclamations; It is hereby enacted as follows."

It is worth looking at the schedules. Schedule A, for the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal, mentions "the Chittagong Division, comprising the districts of Chittagong, the Chittagong Hill-tracts, Noakhali and Tippera; the Rajshahi Division, comprising the districts of Bogra, Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, Malda, Pabna, Rajshahi and Rangpur; and the Presidency Division, comprising the town of Calcutta and the districts of Jessore, Khulna, Murshidabad, Nadia and the 24-Parganas."