Mental health rehab centre inmates free to vote unless declared of unsound mind

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has affirmed that inmates of a mental health rehabilitation centre are entitled to vote in the 2025 general elections unless a competent court has declared them disqualified on grounds of unsoundness of mind. Justice P V ...

The court dismissed a petition challenging the inclusion of rehabilitation centre residents in the voter list, emphasizing that mental illness alone cannot be a ground for disqualification.

According to the Kerala Municipality Act, a person who has been declared of unsound mind by a competent court is not eligible to vote. However, the court has clarified that this disqualification only applies if the person has been declared of unsound mind, not if they have a mental illness.

The court has also emphasized that the Mental Healthcare Act, which provides for the treatment and rehabilitation of persons with mental illness, does not disqualify them from voting.

The ruling is a significant development for the mental health community in Kerala, which has been advocating for the right of mentally ill individuals to vote.

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