8. Power to Courts to direct youthful offenders to be sent to Reformatory Schools.
(1)Whenever any youthful offender is sentenced to transportation or imprisonment, and is, in the judgment of the Court by which he is sentenced, a proper person to be an inmate of a Reformatory School, the Court may, subject to any rules made by the State Government, direct that, instead of undergoing his sentence, he shall be sent to such a school, and be there detained for a period which shall be not less than three or more than seven years.(2)The powers so conferred on the Court by this section shall be exercised only by (a) the High Court, (b) a Court of Session, (c) a District Magistrate, and (d) any Magistrate specially empowered by the State Government in this behalf, and may be exercised by such Courts whether the case comes before them originally or on appeal.(3)The State Government may make rules for-(a)defining what youthful offenders should be sent to Reformatory Schools, having regard to the nature of their offences or other considerations, and(b)regulating the periods for which youthful offenders may be sent to such schools according to their ages or other considerations.
