Report of medical officer before committal

(1) The Court which finds a person to be guilty of begging under Sections 5 or 6 shall before passing any order committing such person to a Work House, or a Special Home or a Certified Home, send the person to the medical officer in-charge of the local Civil Hospital or the police hospital, if any, and call for a report from him. (2) If the medical officer certifies that the said person is above the age of ten and capable of ordinary manual labour and is also not suffering from any infectious or contagious disease, the Court shall, in case of a first offence, pass a sentence for committal of such person to a Work House. (3) If the medical officer reports that the said person is below the age of ten or is physically incapable of ordinary manual labour, but is not suffering from any infectious or contagious disease, the Court shall, in case of a first offence pass a sentence for committal of such person to a Special Home. (4) If the medical officer reports that the said person is suffering from any infectious or contagious disease, the Court shall, in case of a first offence, pass a sentence for committal of such person to a Certified Home, but, if there is no such Certified Home for the reception of such person, the Court may stop further inquiry and release him.