Publicise maintenance tribunals: Bombay high court

In a welcome move for parents who are deserted by their children in old age, the Bombay high court on Thursday directed the State government to give a wide publicity about constitution of maintenance tribunals and appellate tribunals under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007.

The division bench was hearing a public interest litigation converted out of a newspaper report. The court took cognisance the report about how an 80 year old man, an Alzheimer’s patient, was allegedly cheated by one of his sons over property worth Rs1 crore. 

The news report stated that the dead senior citizen would have been benefited had the government implemented the Act .

Thereafter HC directed the State government to file an affidavit on the implementation of the Act which was constituted by the Central government in February 2007 for maintenance and welfare of seniors citizens and parents.

The Act was gazetted on December 31, 2007 with an intention provide for effective provision for maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens.

An affidavit was filed on December 20, 2010 by J N Rathod, Deputy Secretary, Social Justice and Special Assistance Department.

Stating that the State government is implementing provisions of the Act with the help of ‘municipal corporation and civic bodies across the State’.

Rathod’s affidavit stated that tribunals and appellate tribunals have been constituted under the Act on September 28, 2010. 

Government constituted tribunals for each sub division of districts in the State and appointed the concerned sub-divisional officers as it presiding officers. 

Further, that appellate tribunals have also been constituted in each districts have been constituted and the concerned district magistrates have been appointed as the presiding officers.

The judges disposed of the petition directing the State  to give ‘publicity so that the affected senior citizens can take benefit of it’.