Love and Affection Implied Condition for Maintenance in Transfer Deed – Senior Citizen Act – Madras High Court
In a significant legal ruling, the Senior Citizen Act’s interpretation took center stage as the Madras High Court emphasized the importance of “love and affection” as an implied condition for the maintenance of senior citizens. Justice S.M. Subramaniam, presiding over the bench, delivered a verdict that sheds light on the obligations of children or relatives under the Act.
The verdict, delivered on September 8, 2023, underscores the Act’s unambiguous purpose – to ensure senior citizens’ lives are filled with security and dignity, extending beyond the provision of mere food and shelter. The judgment asserts that children defending their case solely on providing basic necessities like food and shelter cannot be considered compliant with the Act’s real spirit.
Justice Subramaniam’s ruling also clarified that, even in the absence of an express condition in documents such as Settlement Deeds or Gift Deeds, “Love and Affection” should be viewed as an implied condition for invoking Section 23(1) of the Senior Citizen Act. Any refusal of maintenance after the execution of such documents could be grounds for deeming them as made by fraud, coercion, or undue influence.
The judgment underscores the Act’s primary objective: safeguarding the security and dignity of senior citizens. It emphasizes that Section 23 of the Act should not be misused to reject complaints by senior citizens merely due to the absence of express conditions in the documents. The court’s ruling has implications for cases where senior citizens transfer property to their children with the expectation of being cared for in their old age.
This landmark judgment also highlighted the importance of considering the conduct of the transferee both before and after the execution of Deeds, rather than relying solely on specific stipulations within the documents.
In this specific case, the court found that the petitioner’s claim of purchasing the property in 2003 contradicted his age at that time. The Settlement Deed’s recital clearly demonstrated the intention of love and affection and the mother’s expectation of being maintained by her son. Consequently, the court upheld the relief granted to the fourth respondent.
This ruling is expected to set a significant precedent in the interpretation of the Senior Citizen Act, emphasizing the paramount importance of love and affection in ensuring the well-being of senior citizens.
Date of Decision: 08-09-2023
Mohamed Dayan vs The District Collector
