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The Children Act, 1974

( ACT NO. XXXIX OF 1974 )

Presumption and determination of age
66. (1) Whenever a person, whether charged with an offence or not, is brought before any criminal Court otherwise than for the purpose of giving evidence, and it appears to the Court that he is a child, the Court shall make an inquiry as to the age of that person and, for that purpose, shall take such evidence as may be forthcoming at the hearing of the case, and shall record a finding thereon, stating his age as nearly as may be.
 
 
 
 
(2) An order or judgment of the Court shall not be invalidated by any subsequent proof that the age of such person has not been correctly stated by the Court, and the age presumed or declared by the Court to be the age of the person so brought before it shall, for the purposes of this Act be deemed to be the true age of that person and, where it appears to the Court that the person so brought before it is of the age of sixteen years or upwards, the person shall, for the purpose of this Act, be deemed not to be a child.

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