Supreme Court Approves Passive Euthanasia for Man in Vegetative State The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a petition seeking the withdrawal of life support for Harish Rana, a 31-year-old man who has been in a permanent vegetative state since 2013. This marks the first time the court has directed passive euthanasia in an individual case since its 2018 judgment establishing legal guidelines for such procedures. The decision was delivered by a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan, who emphasized that Rana’s condition has shown no improvement despite prolonged treatment. Rana fell from a building in August 2013 while pursuing his BTech degree in Chandigarh, sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury that left him in a vegetative state. His family petitioned the court to withdraw clinically assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH), administered through a PEG tube, arguing that his condition is irreversible and he lacks meaningful interaction with his environment. The court acknowledged that Rana experiences sleep-wake cycles but remains entirely dependent on others for basic care. The ruling aligns with the Supreme Court’s 2018 judgment in Common Cause v. Union of India, which recognized passive euthanasia as permissible under Article 21 of the Constitution, ensuring the right to die with dignity. The bench stated that medical boards can exercise clinical discretion to withdraw treatment in accordance with these guidelines. However, the court clarified that passive euthanasia is not applicable to terminally ill patients or those with no hope of recovery, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to legal protocols. The family’s case followed a series of legal challenges.#supreme_court #harish_rana #jb_pardiwala #kv_viswanathan #common_cause_v_union_of_india
