Section 1. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other enactment for the time being in f

31. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other enactment for the time being in force, any Court may, if it shall think fit, instead of sentencing any youthful offender to transportation or imprisonment or directing him to be detained in a Reformatory School, order him to be— (a) discharged after due admonition, or (b) delivered 1897.] Reformatory Schools. 41 (V.—Miscellaneous.—Section 32.) (b) delivered to his parent or to his guardian or nearest adult relative, on such parent, guardian or relative executing a bond, with or without sureties, as the Court may require, to be responsible for the good behaviour of the youthful offender for any period not exceeding twelve months. (2) For the purposes of this section the term "youthful offender" shall include a girl. (3) The powers conferred on the Court by this section shall be exercised only by Courts empowered by or under section 8. (4) When any youthful offender is convicted by a Court not empowered to act under this section and the Court is of opinion that the powers conferred by this section should be exercised in respect of such youthful offender, it may record such opinion and submit the proceedings and forward the youthful offender to the District Magistrate to whom such Court is subordinate. (5) The District Magistrate to whom the proceedings are so submitted may thereupon make such order or pass such sentence as he might have made or passed if the case had originally been tried by him. 1. (1) This Act may be called the Reformatory Schools Act, 1897; and (2) It shall come into force at once. (3) This section and section 2 shall extend to the whole of British India. The other sections shall extend in the first instance to the whole of British India except the territories for the time being administered by the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab and the Chief Commissioner of Coorg, but either of the said Local Governments may at any time, by notification in the local official Gazette, extend these sections to their territories from such day as may be fixed in any such notification. Repeal of Act V of 1876.