The main legal point established in the judgment is the obligation of children, as defined in the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, to provide maintenance and support to their elderly parents.

JUDGMENT

1. This Bench has been specially constituted to hear the petitioner's aforesaid petition and other petitions, by the Hon'ble Chief Justice. Both the members of this Bench preside over their respective Benches and have to disturb their regular boards, to assemble only for these matters.

1.1. On 27th april 2022, we heard the learned counsel for the parties from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and closed the matter for orders.

1.2. This Writ Petition under article 226 of the Constitution of India is filed by the petitioner thereby taking an exception to the order dated 16.08.2019 passed by respondent No.1 - Presiding Officer of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens' Tribunal (for short 'Tribunal').

1.3. The only substantive prayer in the petition reads as under:-

ii. That this Hon'ble Court be pleased to call for the records and proceedings from the Respondent No.1 and after perusing the legality and propriety of the impugned order dated 16.08.2019 passed by the Respondent No.1, this Hon'ble Court be pleased to issue a Writ of Certiorari and/or any other appropriate Writ, order or direction under article 226 of the Constitution of India and quash and set aside the impugned order dated 16.08.2019 passed by the Respondent No.1 at Exhibit-a;

2. During the pendency of this petition, the Division Bench of this Court (Coram: S. C. Dharmadhikari and G. S. Patel, JJ.), by order dated 18. 09.2019, directed thus,

'5.(c) Since it is stated that the Petitioner may be dispossessed tomorrow and by using force, we direct that until further orders of this Court, the operative direction No.3 which directs the Petitioner to hand over vacant and peaceful possession of the premises to her in-laws be not acted upon or implemented.'

2.1. The aforesaid direction / interim order is in force till date.

3. Background facts leading to the filing of this petition are as under:-

3.1. Respondent No.1 / non-applicant has passed the order (impugned in the present petition) in the proceedings instituted by Smt. Nalini Mahendra Shah - respondent No.2 herein and her husband - Mahendra Shah. Since during the pendency of the present writ petition, husband of respondent No.2 died, with the permission of the Court, his name has been deleted from the array of the respondents. Respondent No.4 - Mr. Devang Shah is the husband of the petitioner as also the son of respondent No.2. Present petitioner - Ms. Sheetal Shah is the daughter-in-law of respondent No.2 and respondent No.3 (deleted).

4. For the sake of convenience, parties shall be referred to by their names and not by their status before the Tribunal or this Court.

5. Nalini Shah and her husband Mahendra Shah filed the application No.SDO/SCNo.SDO/JNVMP/Desk-6/SR-38 of 2018 before the Tribunal constituted under the provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens act, 2007. Briefly stated contentions of the applicants therein viz., Nalini Shah and Mahendra Shah, were as under:-

a. that, they are staying at Saprem, Plot No.20, 3rd Road, Juhu Scheme, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai - 400 056 (hereinafter referred to as the 'residential premises').

b. Devang Shah is the only son of Nalini Shah and Mahendra Shah and Sheetal Shah is their daughter-in-law. They all are residing in the aforesaid residential premises.

c. Nalini Shah is the housewife and her husband Mahendra Shah (deceased) was employed in the renowned business of diamond and diamond jewellery at Opera House. Mahendra Shah retired from the said business in the year 2016 and he had no other residential premises, save and except the residential premises at Saprem, Plot No.20, 3rd Road, Juhu Scheme, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai - 400 056.

d. Devang Shah is the employee of Supergems India Private Limited and Sheetal Shah is working as a fashion designer. Both of them are receiving handsome salary.

e. the aforesaid residential premises is in the name of Mahendra Shah and Nalini Shah.

f. It was alleged that Sheetal Shah and Devang Shah are unable