(1) The competent authority, which makes an order for sending a neglected child or a delinquent child to a children's home-cum-observation home or a special school or placing the child under the care of a fit person may make an order requiring the parent or other person liable to maintain the child the contribute to his maintenance if able to do so, in the prescribed manner.
(2) The competent authority before making any order under sub-section (1) shall enquire into the circumstances of the parent or other person liable to maintain the child and shall record evidence, if any, in the presence of the parent or such other person, as the case may be.
(3) The person liable to maintain a child shall for the purposes sub-section (1) include, in the case of illegitimacy, his putative father:
Provided that where the child is illegitimate and an order for his maintenance has been made under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1971 (Act 2 of 1974) the competent authority shall not ordinarily make an order for contribution against the putative father, but may order the whole or any part of the sums accruing due under the said order for maintenance to be paid to such person as may be named by the competent authority and such sum shall be paid by him towards the maintenance of the child.
(4) Any order made under this section may be enforced in the same manner as an order under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act 2 of 1974).