MENTAL HEALTH LAWS IN INDIA

Mental health has remained a neglected part of community health in India as it continues to be shrouded by stigma, social prejudice, and ignorance of the law. In past years, mental illness has been viewed as a personal or family issue and not as a legal matter that should be addressed by the government. Nevertheless, the mental health perception has evolved to be more of a human rights and dignity issue rather than a medical problem due to the changing social realities, the growing number of stress-related disorders, and increased public discourse. Indian law has recognized this shift and increasingly has been transformed to a rights-based model, which emphasizes inclusion, autonomy, and care instead of punitive and custodial models. The turning point of this process was also the adoption of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, which is expected to ensure accessibility to mental healthcare service and protect the rights of mentally ill individuals. Since the mental health laws in India are a reaction of a legal system to the vulnerability, dignity, and justice. Therefore, this blogs aims to provide knowledge of the relevant laws for both legal professionals & general public.