CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY

1. (1) This Act may be called the Forensic Regulatory and Development Authority of India Act, 2011.

(2) It extends to the whole of India, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,―

(a) “Advisory Council” means the Forensic Science Advisory Council constituted under section 13;

(b) “appropriate statutory authority” means any council or board or commission or authority, by whatever name called, constituted or established under any law for the time being in force for the purpose of regulating the profession of forensic science or medicine;

(c) “Authority” means the Forensic Services Development Authority of India  established under section 3;

(d) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Authority;

(e) “forensic science” includes―

(i) main disciplines of forensic science, that is to say, forensic biotechnology and biology, digital forensics, forensic chemistry, forensic medicine and toxicology, criminalistics (fire arms, finger prints, foot prints, etc.), forensic documents, and explosives and arson; and

(ii) allied disciplines, that is to say, forensic anthropology, narcotics and drugs of abuse, wild life forensics, nuclear forensics, microbial forensics, forensic engineering and forensic data bases;

(f) “forensic science laboratory” means any institution or place from where forensic services are offered or rendered;

(g) “forensic science service practitioner” means any expert or scientist having a recognised degree or diploma in concerned forensic science discipline, medicine or engineering and registered by the appropriate statutory authority;

(h) “forensic service provider” includes a person or institution who practices or offers or renders or provides any forensic science services;

(i) “forensic service” means application of scientific methods and knowledge in analysis of evidentiary material for the assistance of the justice delivery system;

(j) “licence” means the permission given by the Authority to an accredited forensic science service provider to offer or undertake forensic science services;

(k) “Member” means a Member of the Authority;

(l) notification means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the expression “notify” with its cognate meanings and grammatical variation shall be construed accordingly;

(m) “prescribed’ means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(n) “regulations” means regulations made by the Authority under this Act.