P&H High Court Directs UT Admin To Hold Awareness Drive For Mental Health Group Home Admissions, Postpones Intake Of Paying Senior Citizens

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the UT Chandigarh Administration to undertake a wide publicity campaign to increase awareness regarding admissions to the Group Home for persons with mental illness in Sector 31-C, Chandigarh for the next three months. Till then, the court said, the proposed admission of paying senior citizens to the facility shall remain postponed, noting that insufficient awareness may have led to low occupancy by eligible mental health patients.The matter arose in a public interest litigation concerning the functioning and utilization of the Group Home facility meant for persons with mental illness.The Court had earlier raised serious concerns over the exorbitant security deposit of ₹20 lakh being charged for entry into a mental health facility under the jurisdiction of the Chandigarh Union Territory (UT) Administration. The court had then asked the authorities to "apply their mind" to the steep fee structure, as it "deprives admission into the said Mental Illness Home even to the deserving mental health patients merely because of paucity of funds.Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry noted the submission made by Senior Advocate Kshitij Sharma appearing for the petitioner, that till November 2025, the security deposit was exorbitant, being as high as ₹20 lakhs, whereafter the same was reduced to around ₹3 to ₹6 lakhs.It was submitted that without making adequate publicity of the reduced rent and spreading awareness, a small window of four weeks for the first time and six weeks for the second time was provided for mental illness patients to apply for admission to Group Home, Sector 31-C, Chandigarh.Meanwhile U.T. Administration submitted that Group Home Sector 31-C Chandigarh shall be shared by senior citizens, who shall pay for the occupancy.The court however remarked that the possibility of more number of applicants of mental illness coming forth if the awareness campaign was spread in a proper manner cannot be ruled out. The Court, by way of an interim order, directed that, "the process of spreading awareness through a widely publicised campaign shall continue for the next three months and thereafter a window of at least two months shall be kept open for mentally ill patients to apply. Till then, the admission of paid senior citizens shall remain postponed."It also clarified that, "the present interim order shall not affect those paid senior citizens who have already been admitted. The applications of senior citizens that are pending may be received, but the same shall not be processed for the time being till next date of hearing."While adjourning the case for July 23, the Court said, "The U.T. Administration is further directed to ensure that the Executive Committee of the UTTHAAN society for Group Home, as provided in Article 13 of the Memorandum, meets in accordance with the prescribed policy."Directing meeting of the Executive Committee of the UTTHAAN society within next week, the court called for complaince report with respect to its directions. The matter is listed on July 23. Mr. Kshitij Sharma, Sr. Advocate (arguing counsel) Ms. Gurpreet Bhatti, Advocate for the petitioner in CWP-PIL-211-2024.Mr. Aditya Vikram Rametra, applicant-in-person in CM-298-CWPIL-2026Ms. Shubreet Kaur, Additional Standing counsel (arguing counsel)Ms. Sukriti Gupta, Jr. Panel counsel for U.T. Chandigarh.Title: JATINDER MAAN AND ANOTHER V/S UT CHANDIGARH AND OTHERSClick here to read order

P&H High Court Directs UT Admin To Hold Awareness Drive For Mental Health Group Home Admissions, Postpones Intake Of Paying Senior Citizens

Aiman J. Chishti

This is a premium content
Available exclusively to
Our subscribers

INR 1099+GST

Tags

Aiman J. Chishti

P&H High Court Directs UT Admin To Hold Awareness Drive For Mental Health Group Home Admissions, Postpones Intake Of Paying Senior Citizens

Aiman J. Chishti

This is a premium content Available exclusively to Our subscribers

INR 1099+GST

Tags

Aiman J. Chishti

This is a premium content
Available exclusively to
Our subscribers