HC asks state about setting up tribunals for senior citizens
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Thursday asked the state about steps it had taken to set up tribunals to address the grievances of senior citizens.
Setting up such tribunals is a provision of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007.
The division bench of justice SA Bobde and justice Mridula Bhatkar has given the state government two weeks’ time to file the affidavit. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking the appointment of judicial officers on the tribunals.
The judges were irked that no tribunals had been set up in Maharashtra even five years after the law had been enacted.
They have directed additional public prosecutor Aruna Kamat to file an affidavit about the steps the government had taken, and what it proposes to do in the future about the setting up of such tribunals.
The PIL was filed by journalist Yogesh Sadhwani who has sought direction to the state government to appoint judicial officers to adjudicate complaints of neglected elderly parents and senior citizens.
His counsel, Niteen Pradhan pointed out to the court that the legislation has been enacted in 2007, but the state government has not set up such tribunals so far, and has failed to appoint either members for the tribunal or the protection officers.
They (the state authorities) are taking everything very lightly, Pradhan complained and submitted that under the law, the tribunals have been conferred with penal powers and therefore judicial officers should be appointed for presiding over the tribunals
Source: Hindustan Times, Page No.: 09, Dated: July 06, 2012