The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sternly directed the administration of a state-run mental illness home in Chandigarh to review their charges, especially the security deposit of Rs 20 lakh at the time of admission. The Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking rationalisation of the security deposit charged to persons with mental disabilities. It held that the charges are ‘exorbitant’ and might deprive the genuine patient of admission to the mental illness home due to lack of funds. It asked the administration to ‘apply their mind’ before creating such a precipitous fee structure that can discourage people from availing of services.