A new amendment to the Senior Citizens Act-2006 says a provision of handing down jail sentence from 1 year to 5 years or a fine between Rs 100,000 and 500,000, or both, for not being taken care of by his/her legal heirs, be it son or daughter or inherited person.
It will be the duty of each family member to maintain and care for senior citizen according to the economic status. Similarly, the amendment does not permit anyone to harass with a senior citizen and to register his/ her property in one’s name by misleading him/her.
“If the offender happens to be a person holding a public post, he or she will be liable to additional 30 percent jail sentence or fine. Similarly, an offence against a senior citizen living with disability or a senior citizen above 75 years of age, makes the offender liable to additional 30 percent of the jail sentence or fine,” the amendment reads.
The senior citizen concerned or anyone having knowledge about his/her plight may file a complaint at the nearest police post. The amendment also stipulates a provision for establishment of a Senior Citizens Service Centre for elders, who do not have anyone to take care of them.
Similarly, it allows each local level to form a Local Senior Citizens Committee for providing care, and social security to needy senior citizens. A citizen of Nepal having completed the age of 60 years is called a senior citizen.
