As per latest reports , the Gauhati High Court has granted time to Assam government till March 2023  for the well functioning of mental health review boards and committees to keep a check on  the mental health conditions of prisoners in the jails.

While hearing a public interest litigation ,a division bench of Chief Justice RM Chhaya and Justice Soumitra Saikia  has directed the state government to prepare the  arrangements for the boards to start functioning from April 1.

An order from the high court said, “…the respondent authorities are granted time till 31.03.2023 to complete the process and also to allot necessary budgetary provisions for the same so that the Mental Health Review Boards and Committees start functioning effectively from 01.04.2023.”

According to a PTI report ,the bench said ,the Mental Health Act, 1987 and the Mental Health Care Act, 2017 were neither implemented nor followed in the prisons of the state, particularly the Morigaon district jail.

According to reports ,the court has directed that reports have to be submitted to the high court by the mental health review boards in each district.

”…if any discrepancy is found, the same shall be brought to the notice of the respective Boards for effective implementation of the provisions of the Acts,” it said.

According to further reports the bench noted that mentally ill inmates are kept with the general inmates in the jails, and stated that petitioner ‘Studio Nilima: Collaborative Network for Research and Capacity Building’ have shared instances of non-implementation of the provisions of the two acts.

The government told the court that earmarked budgets are required by these boards and committees, which are under active consideration and proposals for the same will be presented before the state cabinet for approval.