Research › Search › Judgment

Madhya Pradesh High Court · body

2025 DIGILAW 606 (MP)

Amit Kumar Tiwari v. Awadhesh Prasad Tiwari

2025-10-07

DEEPAK KHOT

body2025
ORDER 1. The present petition has been filed by the petitioner being aggrieved by the orders dated 7.8.2023 (Annexure P/1) passed by the Collector, District Bhopal in Case No. 0006/Appeal/2023-24 and 29.3.2023 (Annexure P/2) passed by the Sub Divisional Officer, Govindpura, District Bhopal in Case No. 18/B-121/2022-23, whereby the authorities have directed the petitioner to vacate the residential accommodation owned by his father under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (hereinafter referred to as ' the Act of 2007'). 2. It has been contended by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner is the son of respondent No.1 and has been living with him in the house owned by him. It has been submitted that the authorities have not dwelt with the question in its true perspective and spirit of the law. It has further been submitted that the petitioner has got no other alternative place to reside, therefore, he has been staying with his father. It is further submitted that he is ready to maintain his father and facilitate the living of the father with whatever means required by him. The authorities have committed grave error of law in allowing the application submitted by the father under the Act of 2007 and prayed for quashment of the orders dated 7.8.2023 (Annexure P/1) and 29.3.2023 (Annexure P/2) respectively. 3. Per contra, learned counsel for the respondents has submitted that the authorities have passed the orders absolutely in accordance with law. The object of legislating the Act of 2007 is to protect the parents from the cruelty and misbehaviour of the children. The Act of 2007 provides that if any child behaves with the parents/senior citizen with cruelty or if he fails to maintain the parents then on an application submitted by such a parent/senior citizen, the order of eviction can be passed. To bolster his submission, learned counsel for the respondents has relied on an order passed by the Hon'ble spex Court in the case of Kamalkant Mishra v. Additional Collector and Ors reported in 2025 SCC Online SC 2077 to state that in the similar facts and circumstances of the case where the child was not maintaining the father/senior citizen, the orders were passed by the authorities and which were affirmed by the Hon'ble apex Court. It is further submitted that the Hon'ble Apex Court has observed that the Act of 2007 being a welfare legislation, its provisions must be construed liberally so as to advance its beneficent purpose. It is further observed that the Tribunal has power to order eviction of a child or relative from the property of a senior citizen, when there is a breach of the obligation to maintain the senior citizen and on the basis prayed for dismissal of the petition. 4. Heard the learned counsel for the parties and perused the record. 5. It is evident from the order dated 29.3.2023 (Annexure P/2) that the competent authority has passed the order of eviction on the ground that on 14.10.2022 the petitioner himself has given an undertaking before the competent authority to vacate the premises owned by the father/senior citizen, but despite of the undertaking, the petitioner failed to abide the undertaking and has breached the assurance given before the authority and accordingly, the order for eviction has been passed. It is also evident from the order dated 7.8.2023 (Annexure P/1) passed in appeal that the appellate authority has dwelt with the factual background of the case and has observed that the petitioner being a government servant employed in GRP Police has been occupying a government accommodation No. C-18/15, Aam Bagiya, Lal Parade Ground Parisar and he has shifted in the accommodation of the father after the death of the mother and started staying there permanently. It is also evident from the order that the petitioner has been troubling the parents/senior citizens with his acts and behaviour and accordingly the authority has dismissed the appeal with the observation that as per the Definition Clause, the residence is included in the maintenance under section 2(b) of the Act, 2007 and as such the order can be passed by the competent authority while exercising its jurisdiction under the Act of 2007. 6 . The Hon'ble apex Court in the case of Kamalkant Mishra (supra) has held as under: - "7 . The framework of the Act clearly notes that the law was enacted to address the plight of older persons, for their care and protection. Being a welfare legislation, its provisions must be construed liberally so as to advance its beneficent purpose. The Hon'ble apex Court in the case of Kamalkant Mishra (supra) has held as under: - "7 . The framework of the Act clearly notes that the law was enacted to address the plight of older persons, for their care and protection. Being a welfare legislation, its provisions must be construed liberally so as to advance its beneficent purpose. This Court on several occasions has observed that the Tribunal is well within its powers to order eviction of a child or a relative from the property of a senior citizen, when there is a breach of the obligation to maintain the senior citizen. In the present case, despite being financially stable, the respondent has acted in breach of his statutory obligations in not allowing the appellant to reside in the properties owned by him, thereby frustrating the very object of the Act. High Court fell in error in allowing the writ petition on a completely untenable ground." 7. Taking guidance from the above enunciation of law, it is crystal clear that under the Act of 2007, the competent authority has ample power to direct the child of a parent/senior citizen to vacate the premises owned by the parent/senior citizen in breach of obligation bestowed on him to maintain parent/senior citizen. In the considered opinion of this Court, the authorities have given anxious consideration on the factual back-drop of the case and passed the reasoned order of eviction of the petitioner. The petitioner has no right to continue in the accommodation, which is not owned by him, if the parent does not desire to do so and in addition to it, when there is complaint in regard to misbehaviour and non-maintaining the parent/senior citizen. Thus, on the basis of above analysis, the petition of the petitioners is found to be misconceived, sans merit and is hereby dismissed accordingly.