A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra passed the order allowing passive euthanasia.
Stating that human beings have the right to die with dignity, the Supreme Court (SC) today allowed passive euthanasia, but made sure to set out strict guidelines that will govern when it is permitted.
The apex court also allowed an individual to draft a living will specifying that they not be put on life support if they slip into an incurable coma in the future. In a 'living will', a person can make a statement in advance that their life should not be prolonged by putting them on a ventilator or an artificial support system.
Though the judges gave four separate opinions, all of them were unanimous that a 'living will' should be allowed, because an individual should not be allowed to continue suffering in a vegetative state when they don't wish to continue living.
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