Mode of compelling performance of duties imposed by this Act

(1) Any person entitled to be maintained by another person under this Act, or any person having the care and custody of a child so entitled, may, if the person, or some one of the persons, if more than one, liable to maintain him or that child, fails to do so, make a complaint before a magistrate. (2) The magistrate shall inquire into the matter and, if it appears that the complainant or the child is entitled to be maintained by the person or persons against whom the complaint is made, and that that person or those persons have neglected to comply with the requirements of this Act, he shall summon him or them to appear before the court at a time and place to be mentioned in the summons to answer the matter of the complaint. (3) If any person entitled under this Act to be maintained by some other person or persons becomes chargeable to any Government department or agency, any person authorised by the head of that department or agency may make complaint before a magistrate on behalf of the person who has become 40 chargeable to the Government department or agency, and thereupon the magistrate shall proceed in the same way as if the person had himself made the complaint.