Archive · 19 Nov 2025
Kerala HC Upholds Voting Rights of Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre Inmates
The Kerala High Court said that people in mental health rehabilitation centres have the right to vote, even if they have mental health issues.
A court can't just say someone is mentally ill without proof.
The court also said that labeling someone as mentally ill can cause harm and discrimination.
The court dismissed a request to use separate voting machines for these voters in the 2025 elections.
Kerala High Court ruled that mental health rehabilitation centre inmates cannot be presumed to be mentally ill and disqualified from voting
The court dismissed a plea seeking separate electronic voting machines for their votes in the 2025 elections
Justice P V Kunhikrishnan held that labeling someone as mentally ill creates social stigma and discrimination
The court noted that even if they have mental ailments, it doesn't disqualify them from voting, citing Section 74 of the Kerala Municipality Act
The petitioners failed to prove that the inmates were persons of unsound mind declared by a competent court
- Who
- Inmates of mental health rehabilitation centres, Kerala High Court, Justice P V Kunhikrishnan
- What
- Ruled on voting rights of mental health rehabilitation centre inmates
- When
- Recently
- Where
- Kerala High Court
- Why
- To decide on a plea seeking separate electronic voting machines for their votes
- Petitioners' Request
- To keep votes of mental health rehabilitation centre inmates in a separate EVM for 2025 elections
- Court's Decision
- Dismissed the petition
- Section Cited
- Section 74 of the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994
- Potential Disqualification
- Being of unsound mind and declared so by a competent court
- Court's Warning
- Labeling someone as mentally ill can cause social stigma and discrimination