Abandonment Of Senior Citizen Must Be Total & Complete Without Any Arrangement Of Care To Constitute An Offence: Kerala High Court

The Kerala High Court ruled that mere abandonment of a senior citizen does not constitute an offense under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act unless it is total and complete. The court emphasized that the abandonment must deprive the senior citizen of basic necessities like food, shelter, clothing, and medical help to qualify as an offense. The judgment clarified that occasional neglect or emotional distancing does not meet the legal threshold for prosecution. This decision highlights the importance of substantiating claims of abandonment with evidence of sustained deprivation to trigger legal action under the Act.