Supreme Court favoured framing of a uniform national policy to deal with those suffering from mental illness and their release from hospitals after being cured and also asked to frame guidelines for their rehabilitation, observing that as “very sensitive” issue. A bench headed by Chief Justice issued a notice to the Union Health Ministry saying the issue figured in the concurrent list of the Constitution and hence the Centre also has the authority to frame norms.
The PIL has raised the issue of release of about 300 persons from various mental hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, alleging they were still languishing there despite being cured of their ailments and most of them belonging to poorer sections that even their families are not willing to take them back home. States like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir and Meghalaya were asked to respond on why the…
