 "Explained: The case of 31-year-old, the first in India to be allowed passive euthanasia by Supreme Court")
For 13 years, life came to a complete standstill for 31-year-old Harish Rana, a resident of Ghaziabad. He has been in a comatose state and has been dependent on others for all activities of self-care.
Now, after years and years of being in a vegetative state, there’s relief for the 31-year-old after the Supreme Court passed its first-ever order allowing passive euthanasia, with the bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan directing that “the medical treatment, including Clinically Assisted Nutrition (CAN) being administered to the applicant, shall be withdrawn/withheld”.
We examine what this case was all about and the significance of this verdict.
The case of Harish Rana
On August 20, 2013, tragedy befell the Rana family of Ghaziabad when Harish, then a civil engineering student at Panjab University, fell from the fourth-floor balcony of his paying guest accommodation.
He sustained serious injuries; he could neither open his eyes nor move his limbs after the accident. In fact, by the time, his parents arrived at the PGIMER Hospital, he had already undergone emergency brain surgery, with doctors telling them that their son’s nervous system had dried up.
In the following weeks, they slept on the floor at PGIMER Chandigarh, took turns sitting outside the ICU, and learned to read medical charts and monitor screens. When there was no improvement even after two months, Harish was moved to AIIMS, Delhi. Harish has been vegetative state since then — he’s on life support, which includes being confined to a bed with a tracheostomy tube for respiration and a gastrojejunostomy tube for feeding.
His family has been by his side through this ordeal, with Harish’s parents even selling their home and moving closer to the hospital where he remains.
A legal battle ensues
As hopes of recovery dimmed, Harish’s family approached the Delhi High Court in July 2024 seeking passive euthanasia, the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment in cases of irreversible medical conditions.
It’s important to note that passive euthanasia differs from active euthanasia. Active euthanasia occurs when the medical professionals, or another person, deliberately do something that causes the patient to die. Meanwhile, passive euthanasia occurs when the patient dies because medical professionals either don’t do something necessary to keep the patient alive, or when they stop doing something that is keeping the patient alive.
The Delhi High Court, however, declined permission, noting that Harish Rana was not on mechanical life support and was able to sustain himself without external aid. The court further held that since he was not terminally ill, the question of passive euthanasia did not arise.
Harish Rana’s parents then challenged the decision in the Supreme Court in the same year, seeking the constitution of a Primary Medical Board for their son.
The top court initially declined to grant that relief, but gave liberty to the parents to approach it again if further directions were required, reported Bar & Bench.
Then in December 2025, Rana’s parents returned to the Supreme Court, saying his condition had worsened and he was being kept “artificially alive”. The court then accepted the plea and conducted discussions with Rana’s family, medical boards, and counsel. The judges even personally met Rana’s parents and two siblings, who said they did not want him to suffer anymore, reports The Hindu.
The court then reserved its verdict on January 15.
Today’s verdict in Rana’s case and why it matters
Following extensive deliberations, the Supreme Court allowed for the passive euthanasia of Harish Rana.
The bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan ruled that it would be in the best interest and dignity of the patient that life-sustaining support be withdrawn in a palliative care setting.
“Harish Rana, presently aged 32 years, was once a young, bright boy. He met with a tragic life-altering accident after a fall from the fourth floor of his paying guest accommodation. His brain injury left him in a condition of Persistent Vegetative State (PSV) with 100 per cent quadraplegia… Medical reports show that his medical condition has not improved in the past 13 years,” the bench noted. He is sustaining life only on Clinically Administered Nutrition (CAN) administered through surgically installed PEG tubes.
The court noted that clinically administered nutrition constitutes a form of medical treatment. It ruled that such treatment can be withdrawn if medical boards examining the patient conclude there is no meaningful prospect of recovery and recommend withdrawal of life support.
The court has further ordered that AIIMS shall grant admission to the patient to its palliative care centre, so that the withdrawal of CAN can be given effect to. AIIMS shall give all facilities for shifting the applicant from residence to the palliative care centre.
Moreover, it must be ensured that the entire process is carried out in a humane manner.
The justices also praised Rana’s family for “never leaving his side”, adding: “To love someone is to care for them even in the darkest times”.
The Supreme Court also added, “Our decision today does not neatly fit in logic, but love, life, and loss.”
The verdict by the Supreme Court is a landmark moment for India. Firstly, it shines a spotlight on the country’s euthanasia laws. Moreover, it is in line with its 2018 judgment, which laid down the law allowing passive euthanasia.
At that time, the apex court of the country maintained that the right to die with dignity is part of the fundamental right to life under the Constitution. The five-judge Constitution bench had then recognised and given sanction for passive euthanasia, and living will/advance directives.
With this verdict, the court has clearly sided with living and dying with dignity. It also clearly signals that withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment shouldn’t be equated with abandonment of the patient.
FAQs
1) What is euthanasia?
Euthanasia refers to the practice of ending someone’s life to relieve their suffering. It is widely believed that there are two kinds of euthanasia — active and passive.
2) Is euthanasia legal in India?
Passive euthanasia in exceptional circumstances was legalised in India through the landmark Aruna Shanbaug vs Union of India judgment in 2011.
3) Who is Harish Rana?
A student of Punjab University, Harish Rana, fell from the fourth floor of a paying guest accommodation in 2013 and suffered serious injuries. Since then, he has been in a coma.
4) What comes next in the case?
The Supreme Court has directed All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to admit Harish Rana to its palliative care unit, enabling doctors to withdraw life-sustaining treatment.
With inputs from agencies
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