23.— (1) A person who forges or utters knowing it to be forged—

(a) a register, an entry in such register or a document purporting to be an extract from such register (in this section referred to as a “forged register”), or

(b) a notice, certificate or other document purporting to be issued, granted or given under this Act (in this section referred to as a “forged document”),

shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person who alters with intent to defraud or deceive, or utters knowing it to be so altered—

(a) a register, an entry in such register or a document purporting to be an extract from such register (in this section referred to as an “altered register”), or

(b) a notice, certificate or other document issued, granted or given under this Act (in this section referred to as an “altered document”),

shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) A person who, without lawful authority, has in his or her possession a forged register, a forged document, an altered register or an altered document shall be guilty of an offence.