'National Security Can’t Replace Innocence': Says Former CJI DY Chandrachud On Umar Khalid Bail

A landmark moment in India’s legal and ethical debate on end-of-life care has arrived. The Supreme Court of India has allowed passive euthanasia for Harish Rana, a 32-year-old man who has remained in a persistent vegetative state for nearly 13 years. Rana suffered severe brain injuries after a fall in 2013 and has since survived only with constant medical support. The judgment by Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. V. Viswanathan allows his parents to withdraw medical support under strict supervision. The court clarified that life-sustaining treatment can be withdrawn when medical boards confirm there is no realistic prospect of recovery. The ruling strengthens the legal framework established in the Common Cause vs Union of India case, which recognised the right to die with dignity.