Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Tuesday tabled the Keralam Senior Citizens’ (Care and Protection of Rights) Bill, 2026, in the Assembly. The Bill has been referred to the Assembly Subject Committee for further discussions.
The proposed legislation aims to protect the dignity, safety and welfare of senior citizens while creating opportunities for them to contribute to the state’s economy. It proposes state-level and district-level Senior Citizen Protection Units, the development of a care economy, and provisions for voluntary donations and Living Wills.
The Bill is guided by six principles: dignity and respect, prioritising the best interests of elders, ageing in place and home-based care, safety and social care, independence through income-generating opportunities, and participation in policymaking.
Gold 101.3 FM, UAE’s No. 1 Radio Station, brings you the latest developments on Kerala’s proposed senior citizens’ welfare legislation.
The Bill outlines seven rights for senior citizens, covering priority shelter for elderly women, access to affordable home care regardless of gender or sexual orientation, safe and accessible public spaces, digital inclusion and safety, free legal aid, affordable assistive products such as hearing aids and mobility devices, and protection from abuse and exploitation through the proposed safeguards.
Under the Bill, registered medical practitioners and senior citizen care centres must report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation to the District Level Senior Citizen Protection Unit within 48 hours of examining the senior citizen, along with supporting evidence.
The legislation also proposes a structured training system for caregivers, with a unified geriatric care curriculum developed after studying international practices, including those in Japan and Germany. Trained caregivers could be employed by affluent households or deployed by the government to provide unpaid care in low-income homes.
The Bill includes safeguards for voluntary property and financial donations by senior citizens. If an elder wishes to donate property, bank funds or other income, family members or care centre authorities must inform the district protection unit. The unit will conduct an inquiry and arrange for the agreement to be executed in the presence of the District Magistrate.
It also provides for Living Wills, allowing senior citizens to document their end-of-life care preferences. These may cover decisions regarding life-extending surgery, chemotherapy, intensive care, oxygen support, intravenous fluids and invasive medical procedures. Arrangements must be made for the declaration in the presence of the designated district-level authority.
Under the proposed law, cruelty towards senior citizens could attract imprisonment of up to three years. The definition includes wilful conduct that forces an elder to leave their home, causes serious injury or danger to life, harms physical or mental health, or involves harassment to coerce the senior citizen into meeting unlawful demands for property or valuable assets.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a broader framework for elderly care, combining legal protection, accessible services, financial safeguards, caregiver training and respect for the independence and dignity of senior citizens. The Bill will undergo further scrutiny by the Assembly Subject Committee before the legislative process proceeds.
