The Supreme Court recently transferred to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) three pleas filed by an advocate seeking directions for the protection and welfare of persons with mental illness kept in faith-based mental asylums and for implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.

A bench of Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice R. Mahadevan passed the order after noting that the Central and Union Territory mental health authorities were functioning.

“ In view of the fact that the Central Mental Health Authority as well as the authorities constituted by the Union Territories have been functioning, we are of the opinion that interest of justice will be subserved if we direct the NHRC to monitor and pass necessary directions after hearing the statutory authorities.

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