Passive vs. Active Euthanasia
The Legal Divide
Euthanasia refers to the act of deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering. Indian law draws a decisive boundary between two forms. Active euthanasia involves a deliberate action — administering a lethal drug or substance — to cause death, and is categorically illegal under Indian law, attracting criminal liability. Passive euthanasia involves withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining medical treatment, allowing the natural process of death to occur, and is legally permissible under specific court-mandated conditions.
- Active euthanasia is punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as culpable homicide.
- Passive euthanasia is not covered under any specific legislation; it is entirely governed by Supreme Court guidelines.
- "Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration" (CANH) via PEG tube has been ruled to be medical treatment — not basic sustenance — making its withdrawal subject to the passive euthanasia framework.
- "Permanent Vegetative State" (PVS) is defined as a clinical condition with no awareness, no voluntary movement, and no prospect of neurological recovery.
● Tracked since March 11, 2026 · last seen March 16, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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