In 2019, Punjab assured the court it would build 21 government-run homes, one per district, by 2022.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice in a contempt petition accusing top officials of both states of failing to build government-run old age homes in every district, despite assurances made to this effect years ago.
The petition, filed by Kuljit Singh Bedi, Deputy Mayor of Mohali Municipal Corporation, names the chief secretaries of Punjab and Haryana, the heads of the state’s social security departments, and officials of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) as respondents.
The counsel for Punjab, Haryana, and GMADA accepted the notice and were directed to file responses and updated status reports. Hearing the case, Justice Vikram Aggarwal fixed the next hearing for February 10, 2026.
The matter stems from a 2014 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Bedi seeking compliance with the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. The law requires states to set up at least one old age home in each district for indigent senior citizens, with capacity for at least 150 residents.
The original petition was disposed of in 2020, trusting the states to meet the timelines. In his plea, however, Bedi has alleged wilful non-compliance on the part of the authorities. He claims that Punjab made progress in only a few districts like Hoshiarpur, Barnala, and Mansa, while relying on grants to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) elsewhere which, he says, violates the law’s mandate for state-run facilities.
In Mohali (SAS Nagar) district, GMADA offered 2.92 acres of land free of cost in 2023 for an old age home, but the transfer remains pending despite reminders.
Haryana has missed its 2024 deadline with limited progress reported. Recent reports indicate that the state has only one operational government old age home, with construction delays in most districts. Punjab’s status shows similar shortfalls beyond the initial commitments.
Curated by Dr. Elena Rodriguez
