Distinction Between Mental Illness And Intellectual Disability Clarified In Legal Context: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court recently clarified the difference between "unsoundness of mind" and "mental retardation" from both medical and legal perspectives. The Court explained that unsoundness of mind or mental illness typically involves disorders that affect a person’s thinking, judgment, perception of reality, or daily functioning. These conditions may be episodic or progressive and sometimes respond to treatment. Mental retardation, also known as intellectual disability, is a developmental condition characterized…