The Mental Health Bill has been successfully passed by the Indian Parliament and is awaiting Presidential assent to become an act. It is the first law in the country on the issue and conforms to UN Convention on the Rights of the People with Disabilities.

• It is a right based approach to cater to the needs of mentally ill patients in the country.
• It consists provision of advanced directives that allows the patients to explain how they want to be treated for the requisite illness and nominate their representative.
• The bill envisages mandatory registration of every mental health establishment with the central and state government.
• A quasi-judicial body – Mental Health Review Commission and Board – has been made responsible for reviewing procedures for making advanced directives and provides advice to the government on key aspects of mental health.

The bill decriminalises suicide attempt by mentally ill patients. Besides this the bill envisages community based treatment and prohibition to electro-convulsive therapy for minors and for others it is regulated through use under Anaesthesia only.