The Supreme Court has asked the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi to form a new medical board to examine 32-year-old Harish Rana, who has been in a vegetative state for the past 13 years. The court said it needs a clear medical opinion before it can decide on the request made by Harish’s father for passive euthanasia.
A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan heard the case on Thursday. The judges said the situation had gone on for too long and the court would now have to take a firm view. Justice Pardiwala said the court could not allow Harish to continue in this condition without proper examination and guidance from experts. The bench directed AIIMS to submit the medical board’s report by December 17 and fixed the next hearing for December 18.
The case goes back many years. In 2018, the Supreme Court had recognised passive euthanasia and laid down rules for living wills and end-of-life decisions. Since then, Harish’s parents have been trying to get permission to withdraw life-support treatment, saying their son has no chance of recovery and is suffering continuously. 
On November 26 this year, the Supreme Court had earlier asked the Noida District Hospital to set up a primary medical board to examine Harish. Acting on that order, the Chief Medical Officer of Ghaziabad and four other experts visited Harish’s home. They later sent their report to Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College in Meerut.
The report said Harish was in very poor condition. He was found lying on a bed with tubes for breathing and feeding. The doctors noted he had severe bed sores and very little chance of any improvement. The report also mentioned that he has been fully bedridden since 2013, when he suffered serious injuries after falling from the fourth floor of a paying guest building in Punjab University, where he was studying at the time.
During Thursday’s hearing, Justice Pardiwala expressed concern about the bed sores and other signs of distress. He said that in modern times, there are ways to prevent such complications, yet Harish’s condition still remains extremely critical. He added that the chances of recovery are almost zero, which makes the situation even more difficult for the family.
The court has now asked that the original report and all related documents be sent to AIIMS. The judges said the secondary medical board must give a clear assessment so the court can consider the father’s plea in the next hearing.
This is the second time in two years that Harish’s parents have come before the Supreme Court with the same request. Last year, on November 8, 2024, the court had looked at a report from the Union Health Ministry, which suggested that Harish could be cared for at home with support from the Uttar Pradesh Government. The ministry had recommended regular home visits by doctors and physiotherapists, and also said he could be moved to Noida District Hospital if needed.
