The Chandigarh Administration on August 05, 2026, issued the Chandigarh Mental Healthcare (Rights of Persons with Mental Illness) Rules, 2026.
The following chapters have been discussed:
Chapter II (Rights of Persons with Mental Illness) requires the State Government to establish half-way homes, sheltered accommodations, supported accommodations, and hospital/community-based rehabilitation establishments in UT Chandigarh, with the number and location based on expected workload, existing establishments, the local population of persons with mental illness, and geographic/climatic conditions. All such facilities, regardless of whether run by government, local authorities, trusts, corporations, or other entities, must meet minimum standards set by the Authority. The chapter also covers reimbursement of treatment costs (via application to the Chief Medical Officer/Director Health Services, subject to Central Government rate limits) and the right of persons with mental illness to access their basic medical records — inpatient records must be provided within 15 days of a written request (Form-A), with disputes over disclosure referable to the Mental Health Review Board. Additionally, custodial institutions (prisons, police stations, beggars' homes, orphanages, women's protection homes, old age homes, etc.) must display trilingual (English, Hindi, Punjabi) signage informing residents with mental illness of their right to free legal services under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, along with relevant contact details.
Chapter III (Forms for Admission, Discharge, and Leave of Absence) prescribes standardized forms for various procedural requests: Form-C for self-admission by a non-minor considering himself mentally ill; Form-D for a minor's admission by their nominated representative; Forms-E and F for admission and continued admission of persons with high support needs under Sections 89 and 90 of the Act; Forms-G and H for discharge of an independent patient/minor (including one who turned 18 during their stay) and discharge of a minor, respectively. Separately, Form-I covers a nominated representative's request for leave of absence, while Form-J covers a medical officer's request to police for taking a mentally ill prisoner into protective custody if found absent without leave.
Chapter IV (Prisoners with Mental Illness) addresses the transfer of prisoners with mental illness to a prison's psychiatric ward or to designated mental health establishments (within or outside the UT), to be carried out per Chandigarh Administration instructions. It also mandates that mental health establishments operating within prisons conform to minimum standards and procedures laid out in the Rules' Schedule.
They shall come into force on August 05, 2026.
[Notification No. 593146/610688/F-II(7)/2026/6728]
