'Musn't Be Equated With Abandonment': SC Allows India's First Passive Euthanasia
Supreme Court permits first passive euthanasia, allowing withdrawal of life support for man in vegetative state.
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The Supreme Court of India has, for the first time, permitted passive euthanasia by allowing the withdrawal of life support for a 31-year-old man who has been in a permanent vegetative state for over 12 years. The decision was delivered by a bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Viswanathan, following a petition filed by the patient’s family.
The Court directed that the withdrawal of clinically assisted nutrition and hydration be carried out in a structured and dignified manner at the palliative care unit of AIIMS, Delhi.
According to Live Law, the Court’s order was based on the unanimous opinion of both primary and secondary medical boards, as well as the patient’s family, that continued life support would not serve the patient’s best interests.
As reported by Hindustan Times, the patient, Harish Rana, suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2013 and has since remained unresponsive and bedridden. The Court emphasised that the guiding principle is not whether the patient should die, but whether prolonging life through medical intervention is justified when recovery is medically impossible.
In the middle of the proceedings, coverage revealed that the Court personally interacted with the patient’s family, who expressed their wish to end his suffering. The bench directed that the withdrawal process must not be a single act but a clearly articulated and sensitive procedure, ensuring the patient’s dignity is maintained throughout.
Procedural safeguards were established following analysis of the 2018 Common Cause judgment, which recognised the right to die with dignity and set out the process for passive euthanasia. The Court waived the usual 30-day waiting period, citing unanimous agreement among the family and medical boards.
The Court’s directions included the requirement for Chief Medical Officers in all districts to maintain panels of registered medical practitioners for future cases, and for High Courts to instruct Judicial Magistrates to receive hospital intimations when medical boards recommend withdrawal of life support as details emerged.
At the end of the judgment, reporting indicated that the Supreme Court urged the Union government to consider enacting comprehensive legislation on passive euthanasia, noting the current legislative vacuum in this area.
Further, the judgment clarified that end-of-life care decisions may be implemented at home or in a hospital, depending on the circumstances and the patient’s needs.
In the final analysis, the decision marked the first practical application of the Supreme Court’s 2018 guidelines, setting a precedent for future cases involving passive euthanasia in India.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.