<span style="color: #222222;">The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today said that all the 46 Government Mental Healthcare Institutions across the country are in deplorable conditions and depict pathetic handling by the different stakeholders. <br />''<br />''Taking suo motu cognizance of the matter, the NHRC has issued notices to the Union Health Secretary, Director General of Health Services, Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, Health, Director General of Police and Commissioner of Police in the metropolitan cities of all the State governments as well as Union Territories, Directors of 46 mental institutions across the country. It has sought detailed action taken reports within six weeks.<br />''<br />''The NHRC said, the inhuman and deplorable conditions of the mental health institutes recorded by it across the country, present a sorry state of affairs amounting to infringement of the human rights of mentally ill patients. It said, cured patients are being kept illegally in the hospitals and there is an acute shortage of doctors and staff.<br />''<br />''The Commission's observations have come on the basis of the visits of the Full Commission to the four government hospitals in Gwalior, Agra, and Ranchi, and the remaining 42 by its Special Rapporteurs.</span><br />