.In this Act, unless there is something repugnant in the subject or context,

(1)

minor means a person who, under the provisions of the Indian Majority Act, 1875, is to be deemed not to have attained his majority;

(2)

guardian means a person having the care of the person of a minor or of his property, or of both his person and property;

(3)

ward means a minor for whose person or property, or both, there is a guardian;

(4)

District Court has the meaning assigned to that expression in the [Code of Civil Procedure, 1882 (14 of 1882)] [Now see the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908).] and includes a High Court in the exercise of its ordinary original civil jurisdiction.

(5)

[ the Court means

(a) the District Court having jurisdiction to entertain an application under this Act for an order appointing or declaring a person to be a guardian; or

(b) where a guardian has been appointed or declared in pursuance of any such application

(c) in respect of any proceeding transferred under section 4-A, the Court of the Officer to whom such proceeding has been transferred.]

(6)

Collector means the chief officer in charge of the revenue-administration of a district, and includes any officer whom the [State] [Substituted by A.O.1950, for " Provincial " .] Government, by notification in the [Official Gazette] [Substituted by A.O.1950, for " Local Gazette " .] may, by name or in virtue of his office, appoint to be a Collector in any local area, or with respect to any class of persons, for all or any of the purposes of this Act;

(7)

[* * *] [Clause (7) omitted by Act 3 of 1951, Section 3 and Sch.]; and

(8)

prescribed means prescribed by rules made by the High Court under this Act.

[4-A. Power to confer jurisdiction on subordinate judicial officers and to transfer proceedings to such officers [Inserted by Act 4 of 1926, Section 3.]

(1)

The High Court may, by general or special order, empower any officer exercising original civil jurisdiction sub-ordinate to a District Court, or authorise the Judge of any District Court to empower any such officer subordinate to him, to dispose of any proceedings under this Act transferred to such officer under the provisions of this section.

(2)

The Judge of a District Court may, by order in writing, transfer at any stage any proceeding under this Act pending in his Court for disposal to any officer subordinate to him empowered under sub-section (1).

(3)

The Judge of a District Court may at any stage transfer to his own Court or to any officer subordinate to him empowered under sub-section (1) any proceeding under this Act pending in the Court of any other such officer.

(4)

When any proceedings are transferred under this section in any case in which a guardian has been appointed or declared, the Judge of the District Court may, by order in writing, declare that the Court of the Judge or officer to whom they are transferred shall, for all or any of the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be the Court which appointed or declared the guardian.] [Substituted by Act 4 of 1926, Section 2, for Clause (5).]