Hyderabad: While the debate over active euthanasia rages on, there is one particular case pending in the Supreme Court since 2005, that is of ‘living will’. The case was filed by a Delhi- based NGO, Common Cause and was represented by well known lawyer, Prashant Bhushan. The case pleads of declaring ‘right to die with dignity’ as a fundamental right within the fold of ‘right to live with dignity’ guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
As per argument of the NGO, a person diagnosed with some disease which continually deteriorates his health or is terminally ill should be able to execute a legal document, a ‘living will and attorney authorization’ in which he can exercise the right to reject medical care if he slips into a health condition in future like Permanent Vegetative State wherein he cannot make informed decisions.
