The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to inform it about the establishment and functioning of the Central Mental Health Authority, State Mental Health Authority and Mental Health Review Board. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Prashant Kumar Mishra on Feb. 7 directed additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, to file a detailed affidavit by March 21.
"The affidavit shall also indicate the statutory and mandatory appointments to the authority and the review board," the bench said.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal seeking directions for persons requiring mental health care.
The top court previously said chaining of persons suffering from mentally illnesses could not be allowed and termed it as 'atrocious' and 'inhuman'.
The court said such acts were violative of their rights under Article 21 of the Constitution, which dealt with life and personal liberty, adding that their dignity could not be compromised.
Bansal in his 2018 plea alleged that persons with mental illnesses were kept chained in a faith-based mental asylum in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh in violation of the provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.
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