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Panchkula: Hapless senior citizens knocking at maintenance tribunal’s doors
As per officials of the district administration, most of the complaints are about reclaiming gifted properties and eviction of children
“At this age, all I want is to live in peace,” said a 75-year-old Panchkula resident who has been seeking orders to restrain his daughter-in-law from entering the portion of the house where he lives.
Walking with the help of a walker, the senior citizen has moved an appeal before the deputy commissioner’s (DC’s) office, Panchkula, under the provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007.
Complaints under the MWPSC Act are filed with the sub-divisional magistrate’s (SDM) office, while subsequent appeals are filed with the DC.
“My wife is bed-ridden and I can hardly walk. I am here seeking dignity of life so that we do not face any more harassment. If she (daughter-in-law) cannot be evicted, just restrain her from entering the portion of the house where me and my wife are living,” said the elderly man sitting at the DC office, waiting for his appeal to be taken up.
Another elderly couple, facing harassment at the hands of their grandson, has knocked at SDM’s office, seeking relief. “We are facing harassment and can be thrown out of the house anytime,” said the 79-year-old wife, who had transferred their house in the name of their grandson. But now the elderly couple is being harassed by him and are constantly being forced to leave.
In all, there are 18 appeals pending before the DC, while 12 complaints are pending before the SDMs, of which only one is with the Kalka SDM and 11 remain with the Panchkula SDM. These include requests for maintenance and reclaiming property, and eviction appeals.
The Act seeks to make it a legal obligation for children and legal heirs to provide sufficient maintenance to senior citizens and proposes to make provisions for state governments to establish old age homes in every district. The Act also provides that senior citizens can reclaim the property they gifted or transferred to their children, if their welfare and basic needs are not being taken care of.
As per officials of the district administration, most of the complaints are about reclaiming gifted properties and eviction of children. “In Panchkula, most complainants seek eviction of their children. More than maintenance, parents are seeking eviction,” said an official.
“Most of the complaints seek eviction, but the Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed the maintenance tribunals from eviction in January 2020,” said a senior officer from Panchkula administration.
