Article
Ageing, Rights, and Social Justice: A Socio-Legal Study with Special Reference to Madhya Pradesh
Ageing is increasingly recognised as an important social-justice and human-rights issue in India. Changes in family structures, migration, urbanisation, economic dependency, declining inter-generational support, and increasing life expectancy have created new challenges for the protection of older persons. The legal framework governing senior citizens in India has consequently developed beyond traditional notions of family responsibility to include enforceable statutory rights relating to maintenance, healthcare, property protection, and institutional support. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 represents the principal legislative intervention in this area. This study examines ageing from a socio-legal perspective, with particular reference to Madhya Pradesh. It analyses the relationship between constitutional principles, statutory protections, judicial interpretation, and State-level social-security mechanisms. The study adopts a qualitative doctrinal methodology based on analysis of legislation, judicial decisions, government policies, and official institutional sources. Particular attention is given to maintenance rights, Maintenance Tribunals, protection of property, abandonment, access to justice, and social-security pensions. The analysis finds that the statutory framework has significantly strengthened the formal recognition of senior-citizen rights; however, legal protection remains dependent upon effective institutional implementation and accessibility. Recent judicial decisions have reinforced the beneficial and remedial character of the Senior Citizens Act while also emphasising the need to balance senior-citizen protection with competing rights under other welfare legislation. Madhya Pradesh has established a State-level framework through the 2009 Rules and social-security pension programmes, but challenges remain concerning awareness, accessibility, economic dependency, family-based vulnerability, and effective implementation. The study concludes that social justice for older persons requires a coordinated approach combining legal protection, economic security, accessible remedies, healthcare, and institutional accountability.