After 12 long years of being in vegetative state, Harish Rana’s heart wrenching condition has compelled the Supreme Court to take action towards his passive euthanasia plea. The top court on Thursday said that it cannot ignore his prolonged suffering anymore. “We will have to do something now. We can’t allow him to live like this. That’s for sure,” said the court.
The SC has directed AIIMS, New Delhi, to form a new medical board to review his case and decide on his father’s request for permission to allow him passive euthanasia.
Who is Harish Rana?
Harish, a former student of Panjab University, suffered serious head injuries in 2013 after falling from the fourth floor of his PG accommodation. Since then, he has been completely bedridden and relies on life-support equipment. He is currently being cared for by his parents at their Noida home in Uttar Pradesh.
His father Ashok Rana revealed to the Times of India last month that to cover Harish’s medical care expenses, including nursing costs of Rs 27,000 per month and physiotherapy at Rs 14,000 per month, they had to sold their three-storey house in Delhi’s Mahavir Enclave in September 2021. Ashok, who used to work at Raj SATS Air Catering Ltd. earning Rs 28,000 per month, has said that their resources and age make it impossible to continue this level of care for him. They also hope to donate Harish’s organs after his passing, believing it would bring comfort to know that parts of him could help others live.
This marks the second time in as many years that his parents have approached the Supreme Court seeking permission for passive euthanasia.
Rana’s legal journey for Euthanasia
The Supreme Court in November last year reviewed a report from the Union Health Ministry, which suggested that Harish could continue home care with support from the Uttar Pradesh government and regular visits from doctors and a physiotherapist. The court had noted that if home care was not possible, he should be moved to the Noida district hospital.
Advocate Rashmi Nandakumar, representing Harish’s parents, said his condition has worsened over time. She explained that he frequently falls ill and is surviving only because of the Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) tube.
She requested that Harish’s case be reviewed by a Primary Medical Board. She clarified that the petition seeks passive euthanasia, not active euthanasia, where life-support treatment can be withheld to relieve suffering, in line with the Supreme Court’s earlier judgment.
Nandakumar referred to the SC’s 2018 decision by a five-judge constitution bench, which recognized passive euthanasia and set conditions and safeguards for executing a living will. In January 2023, the court had revised the guidelines to make them more practical and less strict.
The Supreme Court accepted Nandakumar’s request, noting that Harish has been in a persistent vegetative state with complete quadriplegia. The court observed that he has not responded to treatment and has been kept alive artificially for 12 years without any improvement. Considering his condition, the court directed the District Hospital in Sector 39, Noida, to form a Primary Medical Board to examine the case.
The court also instructed that the Primary Board submit its report as soon as possible, specifying that the process should be completed within two weeks, after which the court will make further decisions.