Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has approved a major amendment to the Uttar Pradesh Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2014, aimed at strengthening the rights and protection of elderly people.
The decision introduces new provisions under Rule 22, including Rules 22A, 22B and 22C. The move is intended to protect senior citizens from neglect and mistreatment and provide them with a clearer mechanism to seek legal action against children or dependent relatives who fail to maintain or care for them.
Finance Minister Suresh Khanna announced the decision and said the new provisions will strengthen the process for protecting the rights of senior citizens.
Children May Face Eviction for Neglecting Elderly Parents
Under the new provisions, if children or dependent relatives fail to properly maintain a senior citizen or allegedly subject them to mistreatment, the elderly person will be able to approach the District Magistrate (DM) for action.
The provisions are aimed at providing senior citizens with a legal mechanism to seek protection and, in applicable cases, remove a neglectful or abusive child or dependent relative from property. The government expects the measure to help reduce cases of harassment and neglect of elderly people and provide them with greater security.
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Complaints to Be Resolved Within 30 Days
The Uttar Pradesh government has also introduced a time-bound complaint resolution process to ensure that senior citizens do not have to wait for long periods for relief.
Under the new mechanism:
- Senior citizens can submit complaints directly to the District Magistrate.
- The DM will be required to complete the hearing within 30 days.
- The DM will submit a monthly report to the state government covering such cases and the action taken.
- The process is intended to provide faster and more effective relief to elderly complainants.
The time-bound mechanism is expected to improve accountability and ensure that complaints receive timely attention.
Toll-Free Helpline Planned for Senior Citizens
The government also plans to introduce a toll-free helpline for elderly people who are unable to travel to government offices to file complaints.
Through the proposed helpline, senior citizens who are physically unable to visit the authorities will receive assistance with:
- Registering their complaints
- Accessing the required procedure
- Seeking necessary support from the authorities
The helpline is expected to make the complaint mechanism more accessible, particularly for elderly people who live alone or have difficulty travelling.
New Rules Aim to Protect Senior Citizens’ Property Rights
The amendment is being positioned as an important step towards protecting the property, dignity and right to a respectful life of senior citizens. The addition of Rules 22A, 22B and 22C is expected to make the state-level procedure clearer when children or dependent relatives fail to provide maintenance or engage in mistreatment.
The government hopes that the possibility of action relating to residence and property will act as a deterrent against the neglect and harassment of elderly parents.
How the New UP Rules Relate to the 2007 Central Law
The move comes against the backdrop of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, which already provides legal protections for senior citizens, including provisions relating to maintenance and, in certain circumstances, property transfers.
The latest Uttar Pradesh amendment primarily strengthens the state-level mechanism for implementing and enforcing protections available to senior citizens.The decision is therefore aimed at making the existing framework more accessible and effective for elderly people seeking relief from neglect, non-maintenance or mistreatment.
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