Longleng, May 8 (MExN): Longleng District Legal Services Authority (LDLSA) conducted legal literacy programme at Lingtak Village on May 6.
Speaking on Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens and Parents, Legal Perspective and Human Rights, Mane Phom, Retainer Lawyer LDLSA appraised that the Parliament passed an enactment namely “The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2017” after observing the tendency of abandoning parents and senior citizens by their children which is gradually increasing. He said that the said Act deals with the maintenance of parents and senior citizens by their children or relatives, grandchildren, who may possibly inherit the property of a senior citizen.
Highlighting on provision for maintenance, Mane Phom said that the Act protects the parents and senior citizen from difficulties, enabling the parents who are unable to maintain themselves through their own earnings or whose income is insufficient, to apply for maintenance from their children, grand children etc.
He informed that the Act also provides that a senior citizen who does not have a child can also claim maintenance from the relatives who are in possession of or would inherit his/her property; the monthly maintenance amount maybe awarded upto Rs. 10,000. The Retainer Lawyer further informed that the Act provides that whoever having the care or protection of senior citizen leaves such senior citizen in any place with the intention of abandoning shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to Rs. 5000 or with both.
He appraised that the Act makes it obligatory for the state government to establish old age homes at least one in a district to assist the senior citizens, while government hospitals or hospitals funded fully or partially by the government must provide beds to all senior citizens as far as possible. Speaking on legal services Authority Act, Mane Phom, said that in the Directive Principal of State Policy (part IV of the constitution), principle of equal justice and free legal aid has been enumerated in Article 39A which provides that the state shall secure that operation of the legal system promotes justice, on the basis of equal opportunity and shall provide free legal aid to ensure that opportunities for securing justice are not denied to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities.
Stating that poverty, social and economical backwardness and literacy are some of the major factor which prevents many of the under privileged sections of society from getting relief from the courts, Mane Phom said that in view of these factors, the Legal Services Authority Act, 1987 was enacted making provisions for providing free legal aid and legal awareness amongst all. He also informed that provision has also been made for Lok Adalats and pre-litigation conciliation and settlement to give redressal to the people without resorting to the adversarial process.
