The state government recently appointed members to the Mental Health Review Board (MHRB) via a notification. However, psychiatrists and lawyers say it’s hogwash, as the core infrastructure, including the official website and budgetary provisions, have not been made yet. With no infrastructure in place, the board will not be able to function under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, they argued.

Experts said that the sudden appointment of members to the board is just a knee-jerk reaction by the government to the series of reports in mid-day, which highlighted the non-implementation of MHRB in Maharashtra, and the need for having the same introduced at the earliest. According to Solicitor Stuti Galiya, Maharashtra will have eight MHRBs, which will serve 36 districts of the state. “The MHRBs will consist of a district judge, representative of district collector, psychiatrist, caregiver and a medical practitioner,” said Galiya.