The Supreme Court said it has laid down guidelines on who would execute the will and how nod for passive euthanasia would be granted by the medical board. The verdict by the constitution bench came on a PIL filed by NGO Common Cause seeking recognition of ‘living will’ made by terminally-ill patients for passive euthanasia. Human rights activist and author Pinki Virani, who had sought mercy killing for Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse who was in a vegetative state for 42 years before dying in 2015, hailed the Supreme Court judgment in favour of passive euthanasia. “I am deeply grateful to the Supreme Court of India for upholding the landmark judgment of March, 2011 on passive euthanasia,” she told PTI. The order that stipulates guidelines to undergo passive euthanasia could be misused, Paikam said.

Source: Mint March 09, 2018 05:46 UTC