Delhi High Court Rejects Plea for Medical Board for Passive Euthanasia

The Delhi High Court dismissed a plea to form a medical board to evaluate whether a man in a vegetative state could undergo passive euthanasia. The court ruled that the petitioner, not on life support, does not qualify for such considerations under current legal framework.

The Delhi High Court has turned down a plea seeking the formation of a medical board to evaluate whether a man, who has been in a vegetative state for the past decade, should be allowed to undergo passive euthanasia. The petitioner, Harish Rana, approached the court through his parents requesting the medical examination.

Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed the plea, declaring that the petitioner is not being kept alive mechanically and can sustain himself without external aid. 'No one, including a physician, is allowed to cause death by administering lethal drugs, even if the intention is to relieve pain and suffering,' the judge stated in the judgment dated July 2.

The court referenced several Supreme Court judgments about the impermissibility of active euthanasia, noting that the petitioner, not being terminally ill, does not meet the criteria for consideration. Despite acknowledging the family's distress, the court maintained that this request was legally untenable.

(With inputs from agencies.)