law: Part III
  Reception Orders
  A.-Reception Orders on Applications
  20. Application for reception order.-
  (1) An application for a reception order may be made by-
  (a) the medical officer in charge of a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home, or
  (b) by the husband, wife or any other relative of the mentally ill person.
  (2) Where a medical officer in charge of a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home in which a mentally ill person is undergoing treatment under a temporary treatment order is satisfied that-
  (a) the mentally ill person is suffering from mental disorder of such a nature and degree that his treatment in the psychiatric hospital or, as the case may be, psychiatric nursing home is required to be continued for more than six months, or
  (b) it is necessary in the interests of the health and personal safety of the mentally ill person or for the protection of others that such person shall be detained in a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home, he may make an application to the Magistrate within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the psychiatric hospital or, as the case may be, psychiatric nursing home is situated, for the detention of such mentally ill person under a reception order in such psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home, as the case may be.
  (3) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (5), the husband or wife of a person who is alleged to be mentally ill or, where there is no husband or wife, or where the husband or wife is prevented by reason of any illness or absence from India or otherwise from making the application, any other relative of such person may make an application to the Magistrate within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the said person ordinarily resides, for the detention of the alleged mentally ill person under a reception order in a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric nursing home.
  (4) Where the husband or wife of the alleged mentally ill person is not the applicant, the application shall contain the reasons for the application not being made by the husband or wife and shall indicate the relationship of the applicant with the alleged mentally ill person and the circumstances under which the application is being made.
  (5) No person,-
  (i) who is a minor, or
  (ii) who, within fourteen days before the date of the application, has not seen the alleged mentally ill person, shall make an application under this section.
  (6) Every application under sub-section (3) shall be made in the prescribed form and shall be signed and verified in the prescribed manner and shall state whether any previous application had been made for inquiry into the mental condition of the alleged mentally ill person and shall be accompanied by two medical certificates from two medical practitioners of whom one shall be a medical practitioner in the service of Government.