Description

In a predominantly patriarchal society like ours, the position of a woman is vulnerable, particularly if she suffers from mental illness. The dichotomous opinions pertaining to the decision making power of a person with mental illness have been aired time and again in the legal and medical circles. However, the health rights and autonomy of women with mental illness find very little presence in the above discourse.

The Mental Healthcare Bill, 2013 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August, 2013. After multiple considerations and changes, it was passed by both the houses of the Parliament and received the President's assent in April, 2017 to become the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. The 2017 Act came into force very recently, that is, from 29th May, 20181 on which date the Mental Health Act, 1987 stood repealed. The Preamble to the 2017 Act voices the aim of the Act2 to be as follows.