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2026 Supreme(Online)(Mad) 25645
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
ABDUL QUDDHOSE, J
Mrs. Sandra Margaret Dupratt – Appellant
Versus
The District Collector Chennai District – Respondent
W.M.P.No.12805 of 2026
For the Petitioner(s): Mr.A.Ilayaperumal
For the Respondent(s):Mr.N.Naveenkumar Government Advocate (For R1,R3 & R4), Mr.V.Meganathan Government Advocate (For R2)
Mandamus directs timely enquiry under Senior Citizens Act ensuring natural justice before final orders.
Headnote:The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, particularly Section 23, and the Tamil Nadu Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2009, govern applications for action against children or relatives neglecting senior citizens. Petitioner filed an application seeking action against daughter and son-in-law for neglect. Court finds no prejudice in directing enquiry and upholds principles of natural justice. Issue framed is timely disposal of the application under the Act. Ratio decidendi emphasizes conducting enquiry on merits after hearing objections from respondents and adhering to natural justice, without prejudice to parties. Writ petition disposed directing 4th respondent to pass final orders within twelve weeks; no costs.
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. petition seeks early disposal of senior citizen application. (Para 1 , 2) |
| 2. no prejudice in directing enquiry per natural justice. (Para 3) |
| 3. directs time-bound final orders on merits. (Para 4) |
O R D E R
This Writ Petition has been filed seeking for a limited relief. The petitioner seeks for early disposal of the petitioner’s application dated 19.02.2026 filed with the 1st respondent under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizen Act, 2007, seeking to take action against the respondents 5 and 6.
2.Mr.N.Naveenkumar, learned Government Advocate, accepts notice on behalf of the respondents 1, 3 & 4. Mr.V.Meganathan, learned Government Advocate, accepts notice on behalf of the 2nd respondent. The 5th respondent is the daughter of the petitioner and 6th respondent is the son-in-law, against whom the petitioner has filed the application under Senior Citizen Act, 2007.
3.No prejudice would be caused to the respondents if a direction is issued to the 4th respondent to conduct an enquiry based on the petitioner’s application filed under Section 23 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizen Act, 2007, on merits and in accordance with law, after hearing the objections of the respondents 5 and 6 and by adhering to the Principles of natural justice, within a time frame to be fixed by this Court. Since no adverse orders are passed as against the respondents 5 and 6 in this Writ Petition, notice to the respondents 5 and 6 is dispensed with by this Court.
4.For the foregoing reasons, this Writ Petition is disposed of by directing the 4th respondent to pass final orders on merits and in accordance with law on the petitioner’s application dated 19.02.2026 filed under Section 23 of the Senior Citizens Act, after hearing the objections of the respondents 5 and 6 and by conducting proper enquiry and by adhering to the Principles of natural justice, within a period of twelve weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. However, there shall be no order as to costs. Consequently, connected Miscellaneous Petition is closed.
