Supreme Court asks Centre about steps for senior citizens

Expressing serious concern over the plight of senior citizens in the country, the Supreme Court on Friday came to their rescue by asking the Centre what steps it had taken to protect the interests of

Expressing serious concern over the plight of senior citizens in the country, the Supreme Court on Friday came to their rescue by asking the Centre what steps it had taken to protect the interests of the old and the infirm.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justices R. Banumathi and Uday Lalit appreciated former Union law minister Ashwani Kumar for highlighting the plight of senior citizens in a PIL. Mr Kumar informed the court that there are at least six Central legislations enacted for the welfare of senior citizens but the Centre and the states were not doing enough to implement these laws. He also said that crimes against the old were increasing and nothing was being done to mitigate their problems.

Sharing the petitioner’s concern, the CJI said: “First we will seek a response from the Centre and then from the states.” The bench impleaded the National Legal Services Authority and sought its response as to whether it had framed a scheme for the protection and welfare of senior citizens; if so to produce a copy and if not whether it will frame one such scheme.

The court also appointed HelpAge India, a non-governmental organisation dealing with old-age homes, as amicus curiae to render assistance in the case. In his PIL, Mr Kumar said: “Despite being a fundamental right, the elderly in India are dependent upon their family members for basic needs such as housing and healthcare. Pertinently, the policies framed by the government till date have not addressed this basic issue. Due to the lack of easy availability of financial assistance coupled with harsh repayment schedules and high rate of interest, the elderly in India are practically ‘disabled’ from affording a basic necessity such as housing and other basic needs to live a life with dignity, thereby, violating their fundament right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.”

He wanted a direction to the Centre and states to establish full-time tribunals in every state as mandated under Section 7 and 15 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents Act to look into applications for maintenance made by senior citizens under Section 4 of the MWP and Senior Citizens Act; to publicise the provisions of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, to effectively implement the “National Programme for Healthcare of the Elderly” throughout India and create geriatric centres in all the districts of India.

J. VENKATESAN Published : Apr 9, 2016, 2:37 am IST Updated : Apr 9, 2016, 2:37 am IST

http://www.asianage.com/india/supreme-court-asks-centre-about-steps-senior-citizens-022