The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Centre to ensure that people lodged in mental health establishments are tested for Covid-19 and are completely vaccinated at the earliest.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah took serious note of the Maharashtra government's shifting patients lodged in mental health institutes to homes for beggars and asked it to discontinue the practice immediately saying it is counter-productive and runs against the provisions of Mental Health Act.

The top court also directed all the states and Union Territories to extend all cooperation and participate in the meeting of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to be held on July 12.

It asked the states/UTs to remove the discrepancies in figures submitted about the people who have been cured but are still languishing in mental health institutions or who still need treatments.

The bench said that from now on it will monitor the case and would start listing the matter after three weeks as it is a very sensitive matter.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Gaurav Bansal in which he has said that around 10,000 people, who are fit to be discharged, are forced to live in different mental hospitals across the country and institutes due to social stigma.