New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed all the states and Union Territories to lay down a timeline for vaccinating people lodged in mental healthcare institutions for Covid-19 and submit a status report on it by October 15.
The bench comprising of Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Hima Kohli was hearing a plea by Gaurav Bansal seeking vaccination of mentally ill people. Giving the time of 6 months to the states and UTs to establish halfway homes for those who are cured of mental illness, the court said that the focus should be on rehabilitation and not just relocation.
It has also directed the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to prepare an online dashboard and circulate it to all the states and UTs. States and UTs are asked to set up an online dashboard not later than 4 weeks after that. The court has also asked them to update data on it in a seamless manner.
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The progress also needs to be checked by the Centre.
The matter will be heard again in the last working week of December.
