Harish Rana Case: Who Decides Life Support? Understanding Living Wills & Euthanasia

• Harish Rana's father approached the Supreme Court seeking passive euthanasia for his son, bedridden since 2013.
• Harish, 32, has been in a vegetative state for 13 years, dependent on tracheostomy and gastrostomy tubes.
• The Supreme Court stated that without a living will, family members alone cannot decide on passive euthanasia; AIIMS to reassess.
• Passive euthanasia involves withdrawing life-sustaining treatment; active euthanasia (inducing death) remains illegal in India.
• A living will is a written document by a mentally sound adult (18+) specifying medical treatment wishes, simplified by SC in 2023.

Why It Matters: Harish Rana's case highlights living wills' role in passive euthanasia decisions, simplified by SC.