directing the respondents to frame regulation and appoint a regulatory authority to monitor the functioning of the Senior Citizen homes, a Division Bench of this court consisting of the Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.Mahadevan and the Hon’ble Mr. Justice J. Sathya Narayana Prasad delivered a note worthy order and issued directions to the Government to regulate the services of old age homes, so as to extend helping hands to the aged persons/ senior citizens

by Sekar Reporter · July 6, 2022

In a Public Interest Litigation in WP No. 22967 of 2015 praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to frame regulation and appoint a regulatory authority to monitor the functioning of the Senior Citizen homes, a Division Bench of this court consisting of the Hon’ble Mr. Justice R.Mahadevan and the Hon’ble Mr. Justice J. Sathya Narayana Prasad delivered a note worthy order and issued directions to the Government to regulate the services of old age homes, so as to extend helping hands to the aged persons/ senior citizens. While considering the case, the Division Bench observed that “a society that does not keep up with its duty to protect its elderly, can never be positively transformed by judicial edicts alone and embarked on the journey to safeguard the interests of elderly and senior citizens with the fervent hope that the Indian society will realize its moral duties towards its elders and the State will play a proactive role in ensuring health, self-sufficiency as well as dignity to every senior citizen of this country”. Further, having observed that “Management of such old homes cannot be said to be purely commercial activity with no control or regulation by the State”, the Division Bench issued guidelines to the State Government, so as to issue directions to the all old age homes including privately run homes, to the effect that the inmates will be provided with all the basic amenities such as food, round the clock security, clean drinking water, ambulance services, medical care, amusement and entertainment, religious activities such as prayers etc. to suit their needs.