Reframing End-of-Life Jurisprudence
Legal Contours, Bioethical Tensions, and the Evolving Right to Die with Dignity in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35295/sz.iisl/2379Keywords:
Passive Euthanasia, Right to Die with Dignity, End-of-Life Jurisprudence, Bioethics in India, Advance Directives (Living Will)Abstract
This paper reflects on the changing legal, ethical, and cultural dimensions of euthanasia, especially passive euthanasia as envisaged by Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The paper maps out the crucial legal landmarks—from Gian Kaur v. State of Punjab (1996) to Aruna Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011) and Common Cause v. Union of India (2018), signalling the transition in judicial jurisprudence, wherein the right to die with dignity has been increasingly acknowledged. It examines the conceptual contradictions between autonomy and the sanctity of life from a global bioethical perspective, contextualizing the Indian experiences. Even with judicial progress, the practice of passive euthanasia is throttled by procedural hypotrophy, institutional intransigence, and societal equivocation. The paper also raises questions about the utility of living wills, the constraints of the 2024 decision of the Delhi High Court, and the existing legislative vacuum. It makes the case for a right-based, culturally competent, and legislatively sound approach to end-of-life care that respects human dignity and ethical responsibility. Finally, it demands a transition from judicial tolerance to systemic readiness and argues for law reform's human and social desirability.
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