Keralam Assembly unanimously passes bill to protect senior citizens' rights

The Keralam Legislative Assembly on Monday, October 26, unanimously passed the Senior Citizens' (Care and Protection of Rights) Bill, 2026. The bill aims to ensure care and protection for senior citizens in the state through legal frameworks. It was introduced in the Assembly by Chief Minister VD Satheesan. 

The landmark legislation makes Keralam the first state in India to pass a comprehensive law focused on elderly rights. “With the passage of this bill, the Keralam Legislative Assembly has become a model for the world in protecting and safeguarding senior citizens,” VD Satheesan said in the Assembly. 

Through this law, the state will establish a senior citizens’ desk in all local self-government institutions. Every police station will designate nodal officers for issues concerning the elderly.

The bill also addresses cruelty towards senior citizens and appropriate punishments. The law imposes a prison sentence of up to three years and a fine of Rs 50,000 for family members or caregivers who commit acts of cruelty, mental harassment, or abandonment against senior citizens.

There will also be punishment for attempting to take away the wealth of senior citizens. Running an unregistered care home or violating registration norms can also result in punishment. 

During the Keralam elections, VD Satheesan had announced that if the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) came to power, a separate department would be established for the welfare of senior citizens. 

Sharing the news of the bill being passed in the Assembly on X, VD Satheesan called it "a new era of dignity and security dawns for our senior citizens in Keralam."

VD Satheesan wrote, "No elder should ever have to fear being left alone. Keralam is deeply committed to embracing every parent and senior citizen who finds themselves isolated in the twilight of their lives. This is not merely a legislative enactment; it is our heartfelt tribute to those who raised us. We are turning our dream into reality by building a true ‘Keralam Model’ that the world will look up to, a Keralam filled with compassion, care, and respect.”