Like children, vulnerable elderly need a State-led care and protection mechanism: Karnataka High Court
The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to develop a comprehensive protection policy for vulnerable elderly citizens, drawing parallels to the Juvenile Justice Act. The court also ordered immediate state-funded medical care for a neglected 74-year-old woman, citing existing legal obligations under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Seniors Act.
Why it matters
This ruling highlights a critical gap in social welfare systems for the elderly and sets a legal precedent for state-led intervention in elder care.
Taking note of increasing litigations related to the violation of the rights of senior citizens, the High Court of Karnataka has directed the State government to examine the feasibility of creating a comprehensive policy or legislative framework for “senior citizens in need of care and protection”, broadly modelled on the lines of protection given to minors through the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The court also directed the Mysuru district administration to admit a 74-year-old woman, suffering from gangrene and other age-related ailments, and who was not adequately taken care of by her children, to a government hospital and to provide her with all necessary treatment and care entirely at the cost of the government.
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