New Delhi, Calling the rising number of suicides a "social issue", the Supreme Court on Thursday granted four weeks to the Center to file a comprehensive response to a PIL seeking effective implementation of a public health program for prevention and reduction of the suicides.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the statements of advocate and petitioner Gaurav Kumar Bansal that effective measures are needed to address the increasing number of suicide cases and asked the Center to submit a complete affidavit.
"It is a social issue that (Centre and authorities) present a counter-affidavit," the CJI said.
The top court, on August 2, 2019, issued notices to the Center and all states and Union territories on the PIL.
The appeal also asks all states and Union Territories to start a project to provide support and counseling through call centers and helplines to people experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Referring to the data provided by the Delhi Police, the petition said that between 2014 and 2018, 140 cases of suicide of children below 18 years of age were registered.
The statement said the authorities' failure to "draft, design and implement a public health program for the prevention and reduction of suicides in India not only violates sections 29 and 115 of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017 , but also violates article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution.”
Bansal has alleged in his plea that the Delhi government has "failed to provide a healthy social atmosphere" here.
The statement said all states and Union Territories have failed to implement various provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017 and should be directed to take appropriate measures for the prevention and reduction of suicides in their jurisdiction.
He said the authorities should be asked to provide a report on the status of the measures taken by them to implement a public health program for the reduction and prevention of suicides.
Referring to the World Health Organization (WHO) report "Preventive Suicide: A Global Imperative", the petitioner stated that young people are among the most affected and that suicide is currently the second cause of death among people of between 15 and 29 years old. globally.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the statements of advocate and petitioner Gaurav Kumar Bansal that effective measures are needed to address the increasing number of suicide cases and asked the Center to submit a complete affidavit.
"It is a social issue that (Centre and authorities) present a counter-affidavit," the CJI said.
The top court, on August 2, 2019, issued notices to the Center and all states and Union territories on the PIL.
The appeal also asks all states and Union Territories to start a project to provide support and counseling through call centers and helplines to people experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Referring to the data provided by the Delhi Police, the petition said that between 2014 and 2018, 140 cases of suicide of children below 18 years of age were registered.
The statement said the authorities' failure to "draft, design and implement a public health program for the prevention and reduction of suicides in India not only violates sections 29 and 115 of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017 , but also violates article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution.”
Bansal has alleged in his plea that the Delhi government has "failed to provide a healthy social atmosphere" here.
The statement said all states and Union Territories have failed to implement various provisions of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017 and should be directed to take appropriate measures for the prevention and reduction of suicides in their jurisdiction.
He said the authorities should be asked to provide a report on the status of the measures taken by them to implement a public health program for the reduction and prevention of suicides.
Referring to the World Health Organization (WHO) report "Preventive Suicide: A Global Imperative", the petitioner stated that young people are among the most affected and that suicide is currently the second cause of death among people of between 15 and 29 years old. globally.
