₹20 Lakh For Admission In Mental Home: Punjab & Haryana HC Asks Admin To Apply Its Mind On Exorbitant Fee Structure

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has raised serious concerns over the exorbitant security deposit of ₹20 lakh being charged for entry into a mental health facility under the jurisdiction of the Chandigarh Union Territory (UT) Administration. The court has asked the authorities to "apply their mind" to the steep fee structure, as it "deprives admission into the said Mental Illness Home even to the deserving mental health patients merely because of paucity of funds.

Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel said, "Therefore, U.T. Administration is directed to apply its mind on the aspect of quantum of security amount of Rs.20 lacs, which deprives admission into the said Mental Illness Home even to the deserving mental health patients merely because of paucity of funds.

The Court was hearing a  PIL seeking directions to the to take steps to rationalise the Security Deposit to be charged from the  persons with mental disabilities of the Chandigarh Group Home as well monthly charges to be charged from the EWS applicants as government run Senior Citizen Homes in the UT.

The plea also sought directions to take steps to frame admission policy and SOP for Group homes where patient with mental illness are admitted.

After hearing the parties especially on the question of quantum of security deposit of Rs.20 lacs required for admission of mental health patients in Group Utthaan Society and testing the same on the anvil of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, particularly Sections 18, 19, 20 and 21 of the Act, mandating every person suffering from mental illness to be treated with dignity, reasonableness and without any discrimination, the Court opined that quantum of "security deposit of Rs.20 lacs is exorbitant. "

"Since the Governing Body of the Society, which manages the Mental Illness Home at Sector 31, Chandigarh, comprising 13 members and majority of the members are functionaries of U.T. Administration, Chandigarh, it is obvious that this Society is a State under Article 12 of the Constitution," added the Court.

The bench asked the Governing Body to hold an emergent meeting for reconsidering the said aspect of deposit of Rs.20 lacs as security, which is unaffordable by several genuine mental health patients.    

The matter is listed for July 24, for further consideration.

Mr. R.S.Bains, Senior Advocate with Ms. Sarabjeet Singh Cheema, Advocate, for the petitioners in CWP-10284-2025.

Mr. Kshitij Sharma, Advocate and Mr. Shobit Sharma, Advocate, for the petitioner in CWP PIL No. 211-2024.

Mr. Aman Bahri, Addl. Standing Counsel with Ms. Shubreet Kaur, Advocate, for U.T. Chandigarh.

Title : Satish Kumar v. UT Chandigarh

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