Section 2
Interpretation
of Guardianship of Infants Act 1961
(1)
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
“Court” means the High Court or a Judge when sitting in open
Court;
“infant” means a person who has not attained his majority;
“Judge” means a Judge sitting in Chambers;
“Protector” means—
(a)
the Director General of Social Welfare;
(b)
the Deputy Director General of Social Welfare;
(c)
a Divisional Director of Social Welfare, Department of
Social Welfare;
(d)
the State Director of Social Welfare of each of the States, and includes any Social Welfare Officer appointed under any law regulating the appointment of a Protector.
(2)
For the purpose of this Act—
(i)
every person professing the religion of Islam shall be deemed to have attained his majority when he shall have completed his age of eighteen years and not before; and
(ii)
every other person shall be deemed to have attained his majority when he shall have completed his age of twenty-one years and not before.
(b)
In computing the age of any person the day on which he was born is to be reckoned as a whole day and if he falls within subparagraph (a)(i) he shall be deemed to have attained his majority at the beginning of the eighteenth anniversary of that day, and if he falls within subparagraph
(a)
at the beginning of the twenty-first anniversary of that day.
Duties of guardian of person 3.
The guardian of the person of an infant shall have the custody of the infant, and shall be responsible for his support, health and education.
Guardianship of Infants 7
Duties of guardian of property 4.
Subject to the rights and powers of any trustee or personal representative in whom an infant’s property is vested, a guardian of the property of an infant shall have the control and management of the infant’s property, and shall deal therewith as carefully as a man of ordinary prudence would deal with his own property, and may, subject to this Act, do all acts which are reasonable and proper for the realization or protection of the infant’s property.