New Delhi: Observing that a 31-year-old man with 100 per cent disability, quadriplegia, and in a vegetative state for over 13 years should not be allowed to continue suffering, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed AIIMS to constitute a secondary medical board to examine whether life-sustaining treatment can be withdrawn under passive euthanasia.
Bench Calls Patient’s Condition “Pathetic”
A bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan, after examining the report of a primary medical board constituted by a Noida hospital, described the patient’s condition as extremely distressing. “This is very, very unfortunate. The boy seems to be in a pathetic condition,” the bench observed.
No Chance of Recovery, Doctors Say
The court noted that the medical experts had categorically stated that there was no possibility of recovery. The presence of severe bedsores, the bench said, indicated prolonged suffering and poor quality of life. Justice Pardiwala remarked that bedsores are extremely painful and usually signify the terminal stage of care despite modern preventive facilities like waterbeds.
Court Orders Next Step Under Law
Taking note of the findings, the bench said the case had reached a stage where further steps under the law governing passive euthanasia must be initiated. “We can’t allow him to live like this,” the court said, indicating the urgency of the matter.
Father’s Counsel Cites 2018 SC Judgment
Advocate Rashmi Nandakumar, appearing for the patient’s father, submitted that as per the Supreme Court’s 2018 guidelines on passive euthanasia, the next step after a primary board’s findings is referral to a secondary board. She argued that since the primary board had already been constituted by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), the process should now move toward withdrawal of life support.
AIIMS Asked to Form Secondary Medical Board
The apex court, however, directed AIIMS to constitute a secondary medical board to independently assess the patient’s condition. It asked the institute to submit a report by next Wednesday, directing that all medical records, photographs, and findings be forwarded to the AIIMS Director at the earliest.
Case Pending for Over a Decade
Harish Rana, a former Punjab University student, has been in a vegetative state since 2013 after suffering severe head injuries from a fall at his paying guest accommodation. He has remained bedridden and dependent on artificial support systems for over a decade, prompting his parents to approach the Supreme Court twice seeking passive euthanasia.
Earlier Courts Expressed Sympathy but Denied Relief
Earlier, both the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court had declined passive euthanasia, noting that Rana was not on a ventilator and could sustain life through a feeding tube. However, the apex court had acknowledged the immense hardship faced by his elderly parents, who reportedly sold their house to fund his treatment, and agreed to reconsider the matter as his condition deteriorated further.
