PANAJI
The Goa government started the process to recruit the chairperson and members of the Mental Health Review Board.
The Goa State Mental Health Authority has advertised for the post of chairperson and 3 members of the Mental Health Review Board.
The chairperson of the Mental Health Review Board should be qualified as par to the district judge, while the other three members should be a psychiatrist, a medical practitioner and a person working for people with mental illness.
To fulfill the requirement of section 73 of the Mental Healthcare Act 2017 the government has constituted a Mental Health Review Board.
The issue of State Mental Health Review Board came for discussion before the High Court during the hearing of a criminal appeal in which the accused was acquitted on grounds of mental health, who was found guilty of murdering his mother by the trial court.
Earlier in January 2020 government through Advocated General has submitted before the High Court that the State Mental Health Authority will be established within a reasonable period and thereafter, the State Mental Health Authority will be apprised of the requirements of constituting the Mental Health Review Board, as required by Section 73 of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.
Earlier there were no rules framed under the Mental Healthcare Act of 2017 nor the State government the State Mental Health Authority in terms of Section 45 of the Mental Healthcare Act of 2017.
