March 11, 2026 : In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India has, for the first time, allowed passive euthanasia by permitting the withdrawal of artificial life support of a 32-year-old man who has remained in a coma for over 12 years.
The patient, Harish Rana, a native of Ghaziabad and a former student of Panjab University, suffered severe head injuries in 2013 after falling from the fourth floor of his paying guest accommodation. Since the incident, he has remained in a comatose state with no significant signs of recovery.
A bench comprising Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. V. Viswanathan directed AIIMS-Delhi to admit Rana to palliative care so that the process of withdrawing medical life support can be carried out in a planned and dignified manner. The Court emphasized that the withdrawal must follow a carefully designed medical plan to ensure the patient’s dignity.
The order has been passed in line with the Court’s landmark 2018 Common Cause judgment, which recognized passive euthanasia and the right to die with dignity as a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution. The 2018 ruling allowed passive euthanasia through Advance Medical Directives (living wills).
Later, on January 24, 2023, a five-judge Constitution Bench modified the earlier guidelines to simplify the procedure for permitting passive euthanasia in cases involving terminally ill or permanently vegetative patients.
While hearing the petition filed by Rana’s family, the Court had earlier expressed its wish to meet his parents. The bench also examined medical reports submitted by both the primary and secondary medical boards at AIIMS-Delhi. These reports indicated that the chances of recovery were negligible and described the patient’s condition as extremely critical.
According to the 2023 guidelines issued by the Supreme Court, approval for withdrawal of artificial life support requires the assessment of both a primary medical board and a secondary medical board, ensuring expert medical evaluation before such a decision is implemented.
