Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007
5. Application for
maintenance.-
1.
An
application for maintenance under section 4, may be made-
a. by a senior citizen
or a parent, as the case may be; or
b. if he is incapable,
by any other person or organisation authorised by him; or
c. the Tribunal may take
cognizance suo motu.
Explanation.- For the purposes of
this section “organisation” means any voluntary association registered under
the Societies Registration Act, 1860, (21 of 1860) or any other law for the
time being in force.
1.
2.
The
Tribunal may, during the pendency of the proceeding regarding monthly allowance
for the maintenance under this section, order such children or relative to make
a monthly allowance for the interim maintenance of such senior citizen
including parent and to pay the same to such senior citizen including parent as
the Tribunal may from time to time direct.
3.
On
receipt of an application for maintenance under sub-section (1) after giving
notice of the application to the children or relative and after giving the
parties an opportunity of being heard, hold an inquiry for determining the
amount of maintenance.
4.
An
application filed under sub-section (2) for the monthly allowance for the
maintenance and expenses for proceeding shall be disposed of within ninety days
from the date of the service of notice of the application to such person:
Provided that the Tribunal may extend the said period, once for a maximum
period of thirty days in exceptional circumstances for reasons to be recorded
in writing.
5.
An
application for maintenance under sub-section (1) may be filed against one or
more persons:
Provided that such children or
relative may impaled the other person liable to maintain parent in the
application for maintenance.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Where
a maintenance order was made against more than one person, the death of one of
them does not affect the liability of others to continue paying maintenance.
7.
Any
such allowance for the maintenance and expenses for proceeding shall be payable
from the date of the order, or, if so ordered, from the date of the application
for maintenance or expenses of proceeding, as the case may be.
8.
If,
children or relative so ordered fail, without sufficient cause to comply with
the order, any such Tribunal may, for every breach of the order, issued a
warrant for levying the amount due in the manner provided for levying fines,
and may sentence such person for the whole, or any part of each month's
allowance for the maintenance and expenses of proceeding, as the case may be,
remaining unpaid after the execution of the warrant, to imprisonment for a term
which may extend to one month or until payment if sooner made whichever is
earlier:
Provided that no warrant shall be
issued for the recovery of any amount due under this section unless application
be made to the Tribunal to levy such amount within a period of three months
from the date on which it became due.