The Kerala High Court recently recorded with appreciation the State government's decision to re-name the Mental Health Centres as 'Happiness and Wellness Centres'.

The Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Basant Balaji was informed about the decision by Advocate General K. Jaju Babu, who submitted that this was in consideration of the Bench's earlier order.

"We must say with satisfaction and pleasure that the learned Advocate General has informed us that the State has taken the decision to rename the Centres as being “Happiness and Wellness Centres”...This is certainly a welcome step, but only the first of the several necessary to follow. The stigmatisation of patients, their bystanders and the Centres as a whole, is something that we cannot be oblivious to. Even the places where the Centres are functioning are, very often, referred to rather pejoratively. We are sure that the change of name will catalyse the change that we want to see," the Court observed.

The Court was considering an ongoing public interest litigation initiated in 1996 following the Apex Court's direction in Sheela Barse v. Union of India. Earlier, the Court had observed that it was considering a social audit of the Centres. It had also come down heavily on the State for not improving the conditions at the Centre in accordance with the directions made after the Bench personally inspected these Centres.

The Advocate General assured that all necessary steps would be taken to address the inadequacies. The Court, thereupon, highlighted four aspects that required urgent consideration:

"(a) Appointment of sufficient numbers of Attenders, Cooks, Dhobis, Security Personnel among others in all the Centres.

(b) The construction of the compound walls, so as to make the perimeters of the Centres secure.

(c) The uninterrupted and continuous availability of necessary medicines, both for mental health as also for physical health, as requisitioned by the Superintendents and doctors of the hospitals.

(d) The availability of at least one or two vehicles, preferably electric vehicles, within the Centres for the transportation of food from the kitchens and for other ancillary purpose."

The matter is posted to September 15 granting time to the State to address the issues.

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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