PolityGovernance
News 15 of 32

SC Permits Passive Euthanasia for Coma Patient After 13 Years; Urges Comprehensive Law on Right to Die with Dignity

PolityHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
24 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:13 years in comaMarch 11, 2026 SC orderAge 31 (32 in SC order)
Bodies:Supreme Court of IndiaAIIMS-Delhi
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Supreme Court permits withdrawal of artificial life support (CANH) from Harish Rana, who was in a Permanent Vegetative State (PVS) for 13 years, based on the 2018 guidelines.

2.The bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan urged the Centre to enact a comprehensive law on passive euthanasia.

3.This landmark application of the 'right to die with dignity' doctrine provides crucial fodder for questions on constitutional law, judicial activism, and medical ethics.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal of life support from Harish Rana, marking the first legal application of passive euthanasia guidelines since the 2018 Common Cause judgment. This case underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive legislative framework to govern the right to die with dignity in India, a critical issue for GS Paper II (Governance) and GS Paper IV (Ethics).

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Patient's Age31 years old (32 as per SC order)
Duration in ComaSince 2013 (13 years)
SC BenchJustices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan
Date of SC OrderMarch 11, 2026
Medical ConditionPermanent Vegetative State (PVS)
Treatment WithdrawnClinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Patient's Age: 31 years old (32 as per SC order)
  • ›Duration in Coma: Since 2013 (13 years)
  • ›Target this Data: '13 years' (duration of coma) and 'March 11, 2026' (SC order date).
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: 'Supreme Court of India' (the adjudicating authority) and 'Medical Board' (the constituted expert body).
  • ›Target this Legal Point: 'Right to die with dignity' under 'Article 21' and the precedent 'Common Cause vs Union of India (2018)'.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

The Supreme Court's guidelines on passive euthanasia, referenced in the Harish Rana case, were originally established in which landmark judgment?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Harish Rana case:

1. The Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal of life support after the patient had been in a coma for over a decade.

2. The Court held that Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH) does not constitute medical treatment.

3. The bench urged the State Government to enact a comprehensive law on passive euthanasia.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

For how many years was Harish Rana in a permanent vegetative state before the Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal of life support?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What was the primary legal rationale cited by the Supreme Court bench for allowing the withdrawal of treatment in the Harish Rana case?

All 25 MCQs ▸
You finished this topic
Explore Related Topics
Related Current Affairs
Polity Current Affairs

Seven Years After Article 370 Abrogation: J&K Statehood Delay Undermines Integration Gains

Seven years after the abrogation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir remains a Union Territory. While security gains and reduced separatism are notable, the delay in restoring statehood threatens to undermine the integration achievements. The article argues that withholding statehood now demoralises the electorate and breaches the Supreme Court's assurance of temporary UT status.

Polity Current Affairs

Maharashtra Panel Recommends BNS Amendment for Social Media Defamation After 11 Years of 66A

A Maharashtra government committee has recommended amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to specifically criminalize defamatory social media posts, 11 years after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the IT Act. The move aims to tackle online defamation while incorporating safeguards against misuse, but faces legal scrutiny over potential conflict with free speech rights under Article 19(1)(a).

Polity Current Affairs

Right to Vote: Statutory vs Fundamental Right Debate After EC Rift & Goa Voter Exclusion

An unprecedented rift within the Election Commission, exposed by an Indian Express investigation, has reignited the debate on whether the 'right to vote' should be elevated from a statutory right (under the RPA, 1951) to a Fundamental Right under the Constitution. This is critical for UPSC as it touches upon basic structure doctrine, Article 326, and judicial interpretations from landmark cases like Kuldip Nayar and Anoop Baranwal.

Polity Current Affairs

SC Urges West Bengal Speaker to Decide Disqualification Petitions by Oct 8 Under Tenth Schedule

The Supreme Court has directed the West Bengal Assembly Speaker to decide disqualification petitions against 10 rebel MLAs by October 8, reinforcing the 'reasonable time' principle from the Keisham Meghachandra Singh judgment. This case highlights the tension between Speaker-led adjudication under the Tenth Schedule and the EC's interim orders, a recurring theme in anti-defection law.

Polity Current Affairs

Telangana's Khairatabad Seat Vacant After Danam Nagender Disqualified Under Anti-Defection Law

The Telangana Legislative Assembly has officially notified the disqualification of BRS MLA Danam Nagender from the Khairatabad constituency after the Supreme Court upheld the High Court order under anti-defection law. The seat is now vacant, and the Election Commission will announce a by-election schedule.

Polity Current Affairs

Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill 2026: Centre Restricts States' Mineral Levies After SC 2024 Verdict

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2026, passed by Parliament, restricts states from imposing additional levies on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land, effectively overriding the Supreme Court's 2024 judgment that upheld states' power to tax mineral rights. This reignites Centre-state tensions, especially with mineral-rich states like Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, potentially impacting their fiscal autonomy and federal balance.

Polity Current Affairs

SC Landmark Judgments: From Basic Structure to Privacy - 80 Years of Rights & Freedoms

A compilation of landmark Supreme Court judgments from 1973 to 2019 that shaped fundamental rights, gender equality, privacy, and democracy in India. Essential for understanding constitutional evolution and judicial activism.

Polity Current Affairs

Justice Liberhan Commission: Babri Masjid Demolition Was a Well-Planned Civil Conspiracy

Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, head of the one-man Commission of Inquiry into the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition, passed away. His 2009 report concluded the demolition was a meticulously planned civil conspiracy involving RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, BJP, and Shiv Sena — a finding he never retracted despite the 2020 CBI court acquittals.