Question

Under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, which authority handles maintenance disputes?

• A. Senior Citizen Panchayat Courts
• B. High Courts
• C. Family Courts
• D. Senior Citizen Tribunals

Hint:

Many modern social welfare laws in India create specialized tribunals (e.g., Consumer Forums, Green Tribunals, Senior Citizen Tribunals) to ensure speedy and expert resolution of disputes, bypassing the slower, more formal procedures of regular civil courts.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 was enacted to provide a more effective, speedy, and inexpensive mechanism for parents and senior citizens to claim maintenance from their children or specified relatives.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The Act establishes a specific legal framework to handle these disputes outside the traditional court system.

Section 7 of the Act mandates that the State Government shall constitute for each Sub-Division one or more Maintenance Tribunals to decide on the issue of maintenance.
These tribunals are presided over by an officer not below the rank of a Sub-Divisional Officer.
The purpose of creating these specialized tribunals is to ensure that the proceedings are simple, informal, and resolved quickly (typically within 90 days).
(A) Senior Citizen Panchayat Courts: This term is not used in the Act.
(B) High Courts: The High Courts can be approached to challenge the orders of the Tribunal or the Appellate Tribunal, but they are not the court of first instance.
(C) Family Courts: While Family Courts handle maintenance under other laws, this Act specifically creates a separate and dedicated forum.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The Act specifically provides for the establishment of "Maintenance Tribunals," which are also commonly referred to as Senior Citizen Tribunals, to handle maintenance disputes under its provisions.