When children do not look after you: maintenance and protectionతెAP

When children do not look after you: maintenance and protection

When children or relatives do not look after you: who to call in danger, how to ask the Maintenance Tribunal at the RDO or Sub-Collector's office for a monthly allowance, and how to appeal to the Collector.

By phoneAt the office

For whom: Senior citizens (60 or older) in Andhra Pradesh, parents of any age whose children do not look after them, and people helping them.

In an emergency, call at once

112In danger now: emergency helpline (police), toll free100Police14567Elderline: national helpline for senior citizens

Tell us your situation first; then the documents and steps open.

1Your situation

A few questions. We show only the documents and steps your answers need.

What do you need?
Who is applying?

Your answers stay on this phone.

2Documents you need

Tick the ones you have. They are kept in this browser.

    3Your steps

    · Do them in order. Tick each one when it is done.

    1. Do this now

      Call Elderline on 14567 and tell them your problem.

      It is the central government's national helpline for senior citizens and covers all 26 districts of Andhra Pradesh.

      Where
      Elderline: 14567

      Not confirmed: The official papers we read do not say plainly whether the call is free, its hours, or whether someone comes to you (they do list a field response leader among its staff). The PIB website refused our requests. Ask when you call.

      Sources: 7, 5

    2. Do this now

      If your children or carers abandon you anywhere, threaten you or beat you, give a complaint at the nearest police station.

      Leaving a senior citizen with the intention of abandoning them is an offence under the Act (up to three months' prison or a fine up to ₹5,000). The rules say the police must protect senior citizens' life and property, keep a list of those living alone and visit them regularly.

      Where
      The nearest police station

      Sources: 1, 2

    3. Do this now

      Go to the RDO or Sub-Collector's office of your revenue division.

      The Maintenance Tribunal sits there, with the RDO presiding. Get the application form (Form A).

      Where
      Maintenance Tribunal, RDO / Sub-Collector office

      Sources: 3, 2, 1

    4. Do this now

      Fill in the form: your details, the details of those you claim from, the help you need and what happened.

      If you want a monthly interim allowance until the decision, ask for it in the same form; no separate application is needed. You can claim against more than one child together. In the Act, "maintenance" means food, clothing, a place to live and medical care.

      Where
      You do this yourself

      Sources: 2, 1

    5. Do this now

      In the form, also ask the Tribunal to declare void the transfer of property you made on the condition that they look after you.

      Under the Act, if that condition is not kept, such a transfer is treated as made by fraud, and the Tribunal can declare it void if you ask.

      Where
      You do this yourself

      Not confirmed: The rules do not say whether the same Form A is used to cancel a property transfer; ask the RDO office. This applies only to transfers made after the 2007 Act came into force.

      Sources: 1

    6. Do this now

      If the senior citizen cannot apply themself, a person they authorise or a registered voluntary organisation can apply.

      Write your name, address and phone in part 2 of the form and sign at the end as well.

      Where
      You do this yourself

      Sources: 1, 2

    7. Do this now

      Give the filled form to the Tribunal: in person, by registered post or by email.

      You can file it in the district where you live (or last lived) or where the children live. Take the receipt (Form B) with the application number.

      Where
      Maintenance Tribunal, RDO / Sub-Collector office

      Not confirmed: Neither the Act nor the rules we read name a fee for the application; ask at the office. We did not find the Tribunals' email addresses; ask the RDO office.

      Sources: 1, 2

    8. Do this now

      If the application is in order, the Tribunal sends the children a notice (Form C) within 7 working days and tells you the hearing date (Form D).

      Attend on that day. Neither side may bring a lawyer; if you wish, the district Assistant Director for the Welfare of Differently Abled, Transgender and Senior Citizens (the Maintenance Officer) speaks for you. If both sides agree, the case goes to a Conciliation Officer, who tries to settle it within a month.

      Where
      Maintenance Tribunal, RDO / Sub-Collector office

      Sources: 2, 1, 6

    9. Do this now

      Wait for the order.

      It is due within 90 days of the notice reaching the children; it can be extended once by 30 days, with reasons written down. The monthly allowance is at most ₹10,000, and no more than the other side's monthly income divided by the number of people in their family (counting you). Interest (5% to 18%) can also be ordered. You get a copy of the order free. The children must deposit the amount within 30 days.

      Where
      Maintenance Tribunal, RDO / Sub-Collector office
      Fee
      Free · The copy of the order is free
      Time limit
      From the day the notice reaches the children; once extendable by 30 days

      Not confirmed: The ₹10,000 ceiling is in the Act and in rule 14 of Andhra Pradesh's 2011 rules; we found no official order changing it (the central PIB website refused our requests), and no amendment of the rules on Andhra Pradesh's government orders site. Ask the RDO office what the ceiling is now.

      Sources: 1, 2

    10. Do this now

      If you are ill-treated at home or turned out of the house, tell the police and Elderline as above.

      "Maintenance" includes a place to live, so you can apply to the Tribunal for maintenance from your children (choose "a monthly allowance" in the first question to see those steps).

      Where
      You do this yourself

      Not confirmed: Telangana's rules have a procedure (through the Collector) for evicting children from a senior citizen's house, but the Andhra Pradesh rules we read do not, and we found no such amendment among Andhra Pradesh's orders. Ask the RDO office or the District Legal Services Authority what can be done.

      Sources: 1, 2

    11. Do this now

      For legal advice, contact the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) in your district court complex or the Mandal Legal Services Committee, or call toll-free 15100.

      Where
      District Legal Services Authority (district court complex)

      Not confirmed: The Legal Services Authority gives free legal aid to the weaker sections; ask them whether you qualify for free help.

      Sources: 10

    If something goes wrong

    If it is rejected

    If you are not satisfied with the Tribunal's order, appeal within 60 days of the order to the Appellate Tribunal, headed by the District Collector. Attach a copy of the order to the appeal form (Form I); you get a receipt with the appeal number (Form J). A late appeal can be taken if there was good reason. While the appeal goes on, the children must keep paying. The Appellate Tribunal is to try to decide within a month of receiving the appeal.

    Appellate Tribunal (District Collector), Collectorate

    If it is late

    If there is no order 90 days after the notice (120 if extended), ask the RDO office why it is late. Contact the district Assistant Director for the Welfare of Differently Abled, Transgender and Senior Citizens (the Maintenance Officer); the rules make the District Collector responsible for seeing that Tribunals decide cases in time. You can also tell Elderline on 14567.

    Elderline

    Also

    If the children do not pay after the order, apply to the Tribunal within three months of the amount falling due. The Tribunal can issue a warrant to recover it, and can jail them for up to a month if they still do not pay.

    Maintenance Tribunal, RDO / Sub-Collector office

    The 10 official pages and papers this guide is written from
    1. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (No. 56 of 2007)
    2. G.O.Ms.No.49, Dept. for WCD&SC (DW), 28-12-2011: the Andhra Pradesh Maintenance of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2011
    3. G.O.Ms.No.28, WDCW&DW (DW) Dept., 19-08-2008: Constitution of Tribunals under section 7(1) of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007
    4. G.O.Ms.No.27, WDCW&DW (DW) Dept., 19-08-2008: Constitution of Appellate Tribunals under section 15(1) of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007
    5. G.O.Ms.No.9, 24-03-2026: The Andhra Pradesh Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2011, Rule 22: State Council of Senior Citizens, reconstitution
    6. Dept. for the Welfare of Differently Abled, TG & Sr. Citizens
    7. Letter No. 15-40(5)/2020-21/Sr.C.II, 02-04-2024: Change in funding pattern of the scheme of Implementation of Elderline: National Helpline for Senior Citizens
    8. Andhra Pradesh State Police Services: citizen portal (page text)
    9. Helpline
    10. Andhra Pradesh State Legal Services Authority: home page

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