Gauhati High Court Pulls Up Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal for Not Setting Up Old-Age Homes Under Senior Citizens Act 2007

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Observing that the state governments of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have failed to set up any old-age home in accordance with the mandate under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, the Gauhati High Court sought a clear response on the subject from the four NE states.

The division bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury observed this and issued the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) (Case No: PIL/26/2026) filed by an advocate of the HC.

The PIL charges that the state governments of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have not set up any old-age home in accordance with the mandate under Section 19(1) of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (in short, “Act of 2007”).

The court observed that the afore-noted provision of the Act of 2007 places a mandatory obligation on every state government to establish and maintain old-age homes. It requires the states to start by setting up at least one old-age home in each district located in accessible places, with a minimum capacity to house 150 indigent senior citizens. The state also may set up more old-age homes, if needed, but according to the petitioner, the states must begin with this minimum requirement in a phased manner.

Serving notices to the four state governments, the court stated that the information regarding no such old age home having been set up by Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland or Arunachal Pradesh has been collected through the RTI responses.

The court ordered the respondents to submit clear responses to the petition by the next date, on June 10, 2026.

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