NT Reporter
Panaji
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday issued notices to the state government and the respondent authority in a PIL filed by Adv Moses Pinto seeking a comprehensive state-wide socio-economic and health survey of senior citizens.
The matter will next be heard on January 4, 2026.
The petition seeks directions to conduct and publish a time-bound survey to frame evidence-based welfare schemes and ensure compliance with the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. It also seeks a monitoring mechanism for periodic review.
Filed in person, the petition states that such a survey has never been conducted in Goa despite constitutional obligations under Article 21
and Article 41.
It relies on the Supreme Court ruling in Ashwani Kumar vs Union of India (2018) 2 SCC 772, which held that elderly welfare is integral to Article 21 and mandated data collection on pensions and geriatric facilities. It also references the UN Principles for Older Persons (1991) and the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002).
The petitioner said the PIL is pro bono and intended to secure systemic reforms for Goa’s elderly.
