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The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (September 8) permitted the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) to raise their objection to the renaming of Mental Health Centres as 'Happiness and Wellness Centres' as notified by the State government.

The Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Basant Balaji recorded the submissions made by Senior Advocate V.V. Asokan on behalf of IMA and IPS that the entities have some objections regarding the new name and that an opportunity may be granted to place the same before the competent government authority.

Advocate General K. Jaju responded saying that the competent authority of the government will hear the entities if they give their written objections within a week.

The Court was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation initiated in 1996 following the Apex Court's direction in Sheela Barse v. Union of India.

"In such circumstances, we permit the IMA and IPS to make their suggestions before the government in writing addressed to the Principal Secretary, Health department to reach the said authority in any manner including email before 14.09.2026. The said authority or such other competent authority as may be notified by the government will hear the representatives of both these entities or any other government authorities present for deliberations at 11 am on 22nd," the Court observed.

Last week, the Court had recorded with appreciation the State government's decision to re-name the Centres. Today after hearing the senior counsel for the IMA and IPS, the Court orally asked:

"You want either mental health or psychiatric. These words must come. What you are saying is that this will go contrary to the Mental Health Act...?"

The Court also orally expressed its inclination towards a change in name, which it hoped to remove the stigma and bring a change in attitude of the society:

"Our intention is if someone asks 'Where were you?', they can say 'Wellness Centre' and not 'Psychiatric' hospital...The popular culture has made it like this. Even though it is called Mental Health Centre, people still refer to it as Oolanpara or Kuthiravattam."

Case No: WP(C) No.16603 of 2026

Case Title: Case Title: The High Court Legal Aid Committee v. The State of Kerala and Ors.

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