Appeal Under Senior Citizens Act Maintainable by Any Aggrieved Party, Not Just Parents: Allahabad High Court

 

Appeal Under Senior Citizens Act Maintainable by Any Aggrieved Party, Not Just Parents: Allahabad High Court

Summary of Judgment

Akhilesh Kumar & Another v. State of U.P. & Others

Writ-C No. 11295 of 2019

Allahabad High Court (Division Bench)

Decided on: 23.04.2019

Facts

The parents/senior citizens initiated proceedings under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 seeking maintenance and eviction of their children from the property. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate allowed the claim and directed the petitioners (children) to pay maintenance and vacate the premises.

The petitioners filed an appeal under Section 16 of the Act, 2007 before the District Magistrate. However, the appellate authority held that the appeal was not maintainable because Section 16 expressly mentions only "senior citizens or parents" as appellants.

Legal Issue

Whether an appeal under Section 16 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 can be filed only by senior citizens/parents or also by children/relatives who are adversely affected by an order of the Tribunal.

Findings of the Court

The Allahabad High Court agreed with the views of the Punjab & Haryana High Court in Paramjit Kumar Saroya v. Union of India and the Madras High Court in Balamurugan v. Rukmani. The Court held that:

• A purposive and harmonious interpretation of Section 16 is necessary.
• Denying the right of appeal to children/relatives while granting it to parents/senior citizens would create an anomalous and unfair situation.
• The Legislature did not consciously intend to exclude the right of appeal of other affected parties.
• The expression in Section 16 must be read to confer a right of appeal upon any aggrieved party, including children, relatives, or other persons against whom an order has been passed.

Decision

The writ petition was disposed of with liberty to the petitioners to file an appeal before the Appellate Authority under Section 16 of the Act. The District Magistrate was directed to entertain and decide such appeal on merits after hearing all concerned parties.

Key Legal Principle

An appeal under Section 16 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 is maintainable not only at the instance of parents/senior citizens but also at the instance of any person aggrieved by the order of the Tribunal, including children, relatives, or occupants against whom the order operates.

Akhilesh Kumar & Another v. State of U.P. & Others

Writ-C No. 11295 of 2019

Allahabad High Court (Division Bench)

Hon'ble B. Amit Sthalekar,J. Hon'ble Piyush Agrawal,J.

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