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SC Permits Passive Euthanasia for Harish Rana, Upholds 2018 Landmark Judgment on Right to Die with Dignity

PolityCORE
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
11 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:2018 (Landmark SC ruling year)13 years (Vegetative state duration)August 2013 (Date of accident)
Bodies:Supreme Court of India
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.SC Bench of Justices Pardiwala and Viswanathan permitted withdrawal of medical support for Harish Rana, in a vegetative state since 2013.

2.The verdict upholds the 2018 five-judge bench ruling that legalized passive euthanasia for terminally ill patients.

3.The court emphasized that the decision was an 'act of profound compassion', not about choosing death but about not artificially prolonging life.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

The Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal of life support for Harish Rana, affirming the legal principle of passive euthanasia established in its 2018 judgment. This case reinforces the constitutional right to die with dignity under Article 21 and sets a precedent for future medical-legal decisions regarding end-of-life care.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Patient's Age32 years (Harish Rana)
Years in Vegetative State13 years (since August 2013)
SC Bench CompositionJustices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan
Key Precedent Cited2018 Five-judge bench ruling on passive euthanasia

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Patient's Age: 32 years (Harish Rana)
  • ›Years in Vegetative State: 13 years (since August 2013)
  • ›Target this Data: 2018 (Year of the landmark five-judge bench ruling on passive euthanasia).
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Supreme Court of India (The institution that delivered both the 2018 and 2026 verdicts).
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Article 21 (The constitutional article under which the 'right to die with dignity' is derived).

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

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

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Under which Article of the Indian Constitution has the Supreme Court derived the 'right to die with dignity'?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's verdict in the Harish Rana case:

1. The bench permitted the withdrawal of life support, citing the family's plea as an act of surrender.

2. The judgment is based on the precedent set by a 2018 Supreme Court ruling by a five-judge Constitution Bench.

3. The court emphasized that the decision was about 'choosing death' for the patient.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

For how many years had Harish Rana been in a vegetative state before the Supreme Court delivered its verdict in 2026?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the core legal distinction highlighted by the Supreme Court in permitting passive euthanasia in this case?

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