Dr. Thounaojam Tapasini Devi, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Manipur University
ABSTRACT
The Mental Health Care Act, 2017 has defined “ mental illness” under Section 2(1)(s) as a substantial disorder of thinking, mood, perception, orientation or memory that grossly impairs judgment, behaviour, capacity to recognize reality or ability to meet the ordinary demands of life, mental conditions associated with the abuse of alcohol and drugs, but does not include mental retardation.” This paper will focus on the international as well as the domestic laws relating to mental health. Apart from this, the paper will seek to discover the rights of the persons with mental illness provided in the existing laws. As a citizen of India, they are equally entitled with all those human as well as the fundamental rights which are guaranteed to each and every citizen of the Nation by the Constitution of India.
Keywords: Mental Health, Mentally Challenged, Legal Rights, Fundamental Rights, Constitution.
