How do senior citizens tribunals work in practice?

Senior citizens tribunals are set up in different states and cities of India as per the provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2017. These tribunals are usually under the ADM (additional district magistrate) or similar posts.

Text of Senior citizens protection act 2007

The primary action of these tribunals is to order an amount of monthly maintenance to parents or senior citizen relatives of people who have been abandoned by their relatives, often with usurping of their property. Usually senior citizens are unable to fight back against abuse and exploitation by their own relatives with whom they may be living and on whom they may be dependent in various ways. So these tribunals provide a kind of remedy to senior citizens, who can approach it for granting of monthly maintenance for their various expenses. Apart from granting maintenance orders, a secondary function of such tribunals is to provide for the welfare and protection of senior citizens who can approach it when faced with such abuse.

In order to approach the tribunal, the senior citizens have to write a written complaint with details of the abuse faced and the remedy requested from the tribunal, along with contact details of the abusers or relatives. The tribunal then calls for a hearing on a specified date, and sends summons to the various parties involved. On the date of the hearing, the various parties put forward their arguments, and the tribunal then decides on the grant of maintenance or other remedies accordingly.

Often it may be the case that the abusers deny instances of abuse, make counter allegations or threats. In such cases, it is important for the senior citizens to collect beforehand any evidence or details of the abuse they have encountered, along with dates, place, any hospital reports and other details. Also it is good for senior citizens to have written communication about their complaints, in order to keep a record and also not to leave out important details they may forget if said verbally.

To conclude, senior citizen tribunals provide a valuable service in protecting senior citizens from abuse and financial and other exploitation from their own relatives or others. However, many senior citizens may not be aware of the existence of such tribunals and the protections granted. They should be utilized and awareness of such tribunals and the procedure for approaching them should be raised.