DH NEWS SERVICE
new delhi, Mar 11
The Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for 32-year-old Harish Rana, who has remained in a permanent vegetative state since a fall from a fourth-floor building in August 2013.
The case marks the first practical application of passive euthanasia in the country. The apex court allowed the withdrawal of medical support for Rana, granting him the right to die with dignity.
A Bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan directed that all medical treatment being administered to Rana, including Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH), be discontinued. The court emphasised that the process must be implemented in a “humane” and dignified manner.
“The medical treatment, including Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH) being administered to the applicant, shall be withdrawn/withheld,” the court said.
Taking note of the specific circumstances of the case, the Bench dispensed with the usual 30-day reconsideration period, observing that all stakeholders were unanimous in their view that continuing medical intervention was not warranted. The court further directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, to admit Rana to its palliative care department so that the withdrawal of treatment could be carried out under medical supervision.
AIIMS has also been asked to arrange the necessary facilities to transfer him from his residence and to ensure that the process follows a comprehensive palliative and end-of-life care plan designed to manage symptoms without causing discomfort while preserving the patient’s dignity.
“AIIMS must ensure that such withdrawal or withholding is carried out through a robust palliative and end-of-life care plan which is specifically tailored to manage symptoms without causing any discomfort to the applicant and ensuring that his dignity is preserved to the highest degree,” the Bench said.
