(t) Whereaperson,whether charged with an oflence or not“ is brought. before any ceurt otherwise. than for the purpose of giving evidence and it appears to the court that he is achild, the couzt may make due inquiry 34; to the age of that person and'for that pumose may take such evidence as.. may be forthcoming, and may recerd afinding thereon, stating his age as nearly as may be.
(2) Adeciaratirjn by the. court under the, proceeding, sub-section as t.) the person brought before it being under the age of eighteen yeass shall. for the purposes ow" this Act, be final and no court shall iuappeai or revision interfere with any- such declaration.
68'. (l). In any case where achild has been. committed pUISnant, to any such order to the care a)? .:; person Who is not of the religious denominathn of the child or who has not given such undertaking as aforesaid, the court which magic the order or any court of likejurisdiction shall, on the application of any person in that behalf and when a fit person of the religious denomination of the child is Willing to 25 undertake the care of the child, make an order committing him to the care of such tit person and such fit person shall give an undertaking as aforesaid. .
(5) Where a child is boarded out, or where a child or delinquent child is permitted by licence to live' with any other person, the State Government shall select for this purpose a person of the same religion as the child or delinquent child, as the case may be, if such person is available and it' no such'person is availabka person who gives a satisfactory undertaking that the child or delinquent chiid shall be brought up in accordance with religion of such child or delinquent child, and if no such person is avaiiable thenanother' person shall be selected within the provisions of section 48.
(3) Whena child has been committed to the care of a person Who gives an undertaking as aforesaid but the undertaking is not observed the child shall be liable to be removed from the care of such person and dealt with according to the provisions of sub-section(’2) of this section. , '
(4) Whenever any person interested in the religion of the child is informed of any attem pt at conversion or tampering with his religion he may apply to the court for an enquiry and the court on being satisfied may issue an order removing the said child from the custody of such institution or person and hand over the custody of the chzld to another fit person or institution.
69. For the purpose of this Act, a person shall be deemed to be achild, if at the time of the initiation of any proceedings against him under this Act or at the time of his arrest' in connection with which any proceedings areinitiated against him under this Act, such person has not attained the age specified in clause (C) of section 2 2
Provided that if during the course of the proceedings urtderihis Act such person attains the age Specified in the said clause, the proceedings already commenced shall be continued and orders may be passed in respect of such person under this Act as if such person was a child notwithstanding [,0 the contrary in this Act.
70. The provisions of sections 445, 446, 447, 448, 449 and 450 ofthe Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) shall, so far as may be, apply to bonds under this Act.