UT administration notified the Chandigarh Mental Healthcare Rules, 2026 on Tuesday Chandigarh: The UT administration notified the Chandigarh Mental Healthcare Rules, 2026 on Tuesday, paving the way for a comprehensive regulatory framework for mental healthcare services in the Union Territory. The rules provide for the constitution of the Chandigarh State Mental Health Authority, mandatory registration of mental health establishments and professionals, constitution of Mental Health Review Boards, and mechanisms for inspection, audit and protection of patients’ rights. The rules have been framed under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, with the prior approval of the Central Government and came into force on their publication in the official Gazette on Tuesday.The newly notified rules lay down the composition and functioning of the Chandigarh State Mental Health Authority, which will be headed by the UT health secretary as its ex-officio chairperson. Other ex-officio members will include senior officials from the departments of health, medical education, social welfare, home, finance and law, besides a representative of the State Legal Services Authority. The authority will also include mental health experts, representatives of persons with mental illness, caregivers and non-governmental organisations working in the sector.A key provision makes registration mandatory for all mental health establishments in Chandigarh, except those under the central govt. Such establishments will have to apply for provisional registration by paying a non-refundable fee of Rs 7,500. The provisional registration will remain valid for 12 months and will require timely renewal. Public health facilities, however, have been exempted from registration and renewal fees, though they must still register and comply with prescribed standards.The rules also mandate registration of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, with the state authority on payment of a Rs 2,000 registration fee. Professionals working in the public sector have been exempted from this fee. The authority will maintain digital registers of all registered establishments and professionals and develop an online mental health portal for maintaining records and facilitating regulatory oversight.To strengthen oversight, the rules provide for the constitution of Chandigarh Mental Health Review Boards, which will be headed by a district judge or retired district judge. The boards will include representatives of the administration, psychiatrists, medical practitioners, caregivers and persons with mental illness. These Boards will function under the Mental Healthcare Act to safeguard the rights of persons with mental illness and adjudicate matters assigned under the law.The Authority has also been empowered to conduct periodic audits of registered mental health establishments to ensure compliance with minimum standards. Audit teams will include government psychiatrists and representatives from relevant departments and stakeholder groups. In cases of complaints or suspected violations, the Authority can order inspections, conduct searches and initiate action against establishments found violating the provisions of the Act or operating without registration.The rules further require the State Authority to prepare annual reports detailing registrations, inspections, complaints, audits, stakeholder consultations and implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act, thereby creating a structured system for monitoring mental healthcare services in Chandigarh.
