Order when inquest or inquiry to be held

(1) When an inquest or inquiry is to be held, and the coroner considers that it is unnecessary to order a post mortem examination of the body, he may authorise the burial of the body without any examination. (2) Where an inquest or inquiry is to be held and the coroner considers it expedient to order a post mortem examination of the body, he may authorise the burial of the body in Form 9 of the Schedule to this Act, after that examination has been duly made by a qualified medical (3) Where from any cause the instructions of the coroner cannot be promptly obtained, the Commissioner of Police or an assistant superintendent of police or, if the instructions of any of those officers cannot be promptly obtained, then the member of the police department in charge of the police station nearest to the place where the dead body is lying, may authorise the burial of the body after a post mortem examination thereof has been duly made under this Act by a duly qualified medical practitioner. (4) The authorisation shall be immediately reported to the coroner by the person giving it. (5) Except in case of necessity, the order for burial under this section shall not be made until the coroner’s jury in the case of an inquest, or the coroner in the case of an inquiry, has had an opportunity of determining whether it is expedient to view the body, but where the condition of the body requires that it should be immediately buried, an order or authorisation for burial under this section may be given before the commencement of any inquest or inquiry.