Notwithstanding anything contained in this Chapter, a person may practise medicine in any rural area,--
(i) if he has commenced practice in any village in the said area prior to a date on which a practitioner registered under the Bombay Medical Act, 1912, (Bom. VI of 1912.) or under the Bombay Medical Practitioners’ Act, 1938 (Born. XXVI of 1938), (or any law for responding thereto) or under the Bombay Homoeopathic Act, 1951 (Born. XLVIII of 1951), (or other law in relation to the qualifications and registration of Homoeopathic or Biochemic Practitioners) for the time being in force, has commenced, and is in regular practice of medicine in that village, and
(ii) so long as he continues to practise in that village as his principal place of practice.
Explanation. ---For the purposes of this section, “rural area” means,--
(i) any local area in the Bombay are of the State, which was not within the limits of a municipal corporation, municipality, cantonment or notified area committee on the 1st day of March 1939; and
(ii) any local area in the rest of the State, which is not within the limits of a municipal corporation, municipality, municipal committee, town committee, cantonment or notified area committee on the date of passing of this Act irrespective of any change in the designation or description of such local area at subsequent date.
