(1)Where a Board or a children's court has been constituted for any area, such Board or court shall, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force but save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, have power to deal exclusively with all proceedings under this Act, relating to neglected children or delinquent children, as the case may be.[Provided that a Board or a Children's court may, if it is of opinion that it is necessary so to do having regard to the circumstances of the case, transfer any proceedings to any children's court or Board, as the case may be;Provided further that where there is any difference of opinion between Board and children's court regarding the transfer of any proceedings under the first proviso, it shall be referred to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or, as the case may be, the Chief Judicial Magistrate for decision, and in a case where the District Magistrate is functioning as a Board or a Children's court, such difference of opinion shall be referred to the Court of Session, and the decision of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or Chief Judicial Magistrate or, as the case may be, the Court of Session on such reference shall be final.] [Added by Act 15 of 1978, section 7](2)Where no Board or children's court has been constituted for any area, the powers conferred on the children's court by or under this Act shall be exercised in that area, only by the following, namely:-(a)the district magistrate; or(b)the sub-divisional magistrate; or(c)[ any Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial magistrate of the first class as the case may be.] [Substituted for the original clause (c) by Act 15 of 1978, section 7](3)The powers conferred on the Board or children's court by or under this Act may also be exercised by the High Court and the court of session, when the proceeding comes before them in appeal revision or otherwise.
