India’s top court allows removal of life support of man in vegetative state

In a landmark ruling, India’s Supreme Court has allowed the removal of life support of a 31-year-old man who has been in a vegetative state for more than a decade.

This is the first instance of court-approved passive euthanasia – the act of withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment – in India. The man, Harish Rana, had not left a will specifying directives for his treatment before he had an accident.

India legalised passive euthanasia in 2018 but active euthanasia – any...