Govt pulled up for failure to take care of senior citizens

The Bombay High Court on Monday pulled up the Maharashtra government over its failure to implement the Maintenance and Welfare of the Parents and Senior Citizen Act 2007, in letter and spirit.

The HC has accordingly asked the government to file an affidavit spelling out the steps it propose to undertake for the betterment of senior citizens.

A division bench of Justice Shantanu Kemkar and Justice Makarand Karnik slammed the government for failing to implement the law which contemplates sever schemes for the betterment of senior citizens.

The judges said, “It is shocking to see the government has been unable to implement its very own law. It is high time now the government must start implementing the orders of this Court and the existing law.”

“Till date we have only seen assurances and no change on the ground. We hope the government would implement the law in letter and spirit,” the judges said. Posting the matter for further hearing after two weeks, the judges asked the government to file an affidavit spelling out the steps it propose to undertake for the betterment of the senior citizens.

The judges were hearing a batch of petitions along with a suo moto PIL which was taken up by the HC after a man wrote a letter seeking help for his ailing brother, who was a senior citizen.