SC asks states, UTs to configure timeline for COVID-19 vaccinations to inmates in mental healthcare homes

New Delhi [India], September 1 (ANI): Supreme Court on Wednesday asked all the states and Union Territories (UTs) to consider, if possible, to fix a timeline for vaccinating the inmates lodged in mental healthcare homes against COVID-19 and asked them to submit status reports before it on the vaccination steps taken by them by October 15.
A bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Dhananjaya Yashwant Chandrachud today, asked all the States and Union Territories (UTs) to consider if possible to fix a timeline for vaccinating inmates lodged in mental healthcare homes.
The Supreme Court division bench was hearing the petition filed by a lawyer, Gaurav Kumar Bansal seeking appropriate directions and orders in vaccinating the inmates lodged in mental healthcare homes.
The Supreme Court asked all the States and UTs to file a status report before it as to what steps they have taken to vaccinate the inmates (with Covid-19 vaccine) lodged in mental healthcare homes.
The lawyer-cum-petitioner in the case, Bansal, in his petition filed before the top court sought a direction to the Respondent, Uttar Pradesh, and all other states, to ensure that persons institutionalised in mental health establishment shall not be subjected to compulsory tonsuring (shaving of Head Hair) as provided under Section 20 (2) (i) of the Mental Healthcare Act-2017.
The petitioner further sought direction from the Top Court to the respondents to ensure that persons institutionalized in mental health establishments shall have adequate sanitary conditions.
He also in his petition sought that the respondents be directed to ensure the privacy of persons institutionalized in mental health establishments as provided under section 20 (2) (d) of the Mental Healthcare Act-2017.
"Direct the respondents to issue UIDAI card / Aadhaar card / Voter ID Card etc to the persons institutionalized in mental health establishment. Direct the respondents to issue disability certificates to the persons institutionalized in a mental health establishment," Bansal said, in his petition, a copy accessed by ANI, revealed.
Bansal sought direction from the Supreme Court to the respondents to issue disability pensions to the persons institutionalized in mental health establishments.
Bansal, in his petition filed before the Supreme Court, further sought a direction from the SC to the respondents to allow women institutionalized in mental health establishments to keep their children with them by way of establishing separate mother-child ward in each and every mental health establishment as mentioned under Section 21 (2) of the Mental Healthcare Act-2017 & Section 24 (3) (d) of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act-2016. (ANI)