The Supreme Court has allowed the country’s first passive euthanasia, permitting the withdrawal of life support for Harish Rana, a Ghaziabad resident who has remained in a permanent vegetative state for nearly 13 years.
Rana suffered severe head injuries after falling from the fourth floor of a building in 2013. Since then, he has lived with 100 per cent disability and quadriplegia, dependent on tracheostomy and gastrostomy tubes for breathing and feeding. His family petitioned the court to withdraw life-sustaining treatment.
Earlier, the apex court directed the formation of a Primary Medical Board to evaluate his condition. Doctors reported negligible chances of recovery. The court then asked the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, to constitute a Secondary Medical Board for independent assessment. Both boards confirmed his irreversible vegetative state.
Passive euthanasia involves withholding or withdrawing medical treatment necessary to keep a patient alive. The court’s order marks the first time such permission has been granted in India, following its earlier rulings that laid down guidelines for end-of-life care.
Legal experts said the decision reflects the judiciary’s recognition of patient dignity and family consent in cases of prolonged suffering. The ruling is expected to shape future debates on medical ethics and end-of-life rights in India.
