The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a father's plea seeking permission for “passive euthanasia” to end the life of his 31-year-old son, who suffers from quadriplegia and has been in a vegetative state for the past 12 years. Viswanathan reserved the verdict after hearing advocate Rashmi Nandakumar appearing for Harish Rana’s parents. Passive euthanasia occurs when medical practitioners do not provide life-sustaining treatment, that is, treatment necessary to keep a patient alive, or remove patients from life-sustaining treatment. Additional solicitor-general Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, said Rana had been in a state of complete inertness. The counsel for the petitioner requested the court not to use the term “passive euthanasia” and instead use “withdrawing/ withholding life-sustaining treatment” in its judgment.

Source: The Telegraph January 16, 2026 02:00 UTC