HC asks govt to form tribunal in four weeks

The Delhi High Court has directed the city government to constitute a tribunal for the redressal of cases related to the maintenance of old parents by their wards and protection of their rights.

The Delhi High Court has directed the city government to constitute a tribunal for the redressal of cases related to the maintenance of old parents by their wards and protection of their rights.

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Expressing anguish over the Delhi government's failure to set up the tribunal even after the enactment of Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act more than a year back, the Court gave the government four weeks time to execute the order and sought a compliance report by July 7.

“The legislative policy cannot be defeated by executive inaction in respect of the constitution of such tribunal,” observed Justice S Ravindra Bhat in a recent order.

The Act came into force on December 31, 2007. The act states the state government has to set up a tribunal to hear the disputes pertaining to the maintenance of parents by the children. “The Delhi government is hereby directed to ensure that the tribunal is constituted at the earliest... in any event within four weeks,” the court said.

The Act enables the tribunal to determine the cases in which children or relatives have neglected senior citizens, who are unable to maintain themselves. Under the act, the tribunal can also direct the children to make a monthly allowance and fix the rate of maintenance for their elderly parents.