HC Terms Chandigarh Mental Illness Home Charges Exorbitant, Asks Admin To Review

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. 

The Court said, “Since the Governing Body of the Society, which manages the Mental Illness Home at Sector 31, Chandigarh, comprising 13 members and the majority of the members are functionaries of U.T. Administration, Chandigarh, it is obvious that this Society is a State under Article 12 of the Constitution.”

The Court also referred to the Mental Healthcare Act 2017, which defines the rights of persons with mental health issues. It specifically mentioned Section 18 (Right to access mental healthcare), Section 19 (Right to community living), Section 20 (Right to protection from cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment), and Section 21 (Right to equality and non-discrimination).

It asked the Chandigarh Union Territory (UT) government to hold a meeting on emergency and review the security deposit amount.

When Is One Admitted To A Group Home?

According to the website of the Chandigarh Social Welfare Department, “Section 19 of Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 mandates for setting up Group Homes for stable mentally ill individuals to achieve some success in their process of rehabilitation as they have not been able to achieve total independence in their functioning and still need supervision.”

It says that group homes come at level 3 in line with mental health treatment. A patient is first treated at a mental hospital, then, if needed, the patient is shifted to a halfway home, and if care is still required, such patient is sent to a Group Home. So, the patients sent to the Group Home in Sector 31-C, Chandigarh, are those individuals who cannot depend on their families for the supervision they need.

How Affordable Is Mental Healthcare?

However, the case raises the question about how affordable is healthcare. Particularly, when it comes to mental healthcare which still carries a stigmatic status in society, how could mandating such huge fund requirement for admission help the genuine and deserving patients?

The mental illness home in question is Chandigarh Group Home, which is registered as UTHAAN Society in Union Territory, Chandigarh. Its application form shows the fee structure. The monthly charge for a single room is Rs 25,000, and for twin sharing and suites, it is Rs 16,000 and Rs 35,000, respectively.

There is no fee charged to those who belong to the economically weaker section (EWS) and have incomes below Rs 1.5 lakh per annum. The home asks for a security deposit of Rs 20 lakh in the form of a fixed deposit in favour of the ‘UTTHAAN Society for Group Home’ at the time of final admission. For EWS, no security deposit is required.

The case is listed for further hearing on July 24, 2025.