Harish Rana & Meaning Of Compassion
- Dhvani Mehta
- Updated: Mar 13, 2026, 08:12 IST IST
On March 11, a two-judge bench showed us what it looks like when the Supreme Court performs the function it is meant to. In a masterfully written judgment, a pleasure for lawyers and doctors alike to read, judges clarified the legal position on withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. They gave relief and closure to Harish Rana’s family. The family did everything in their power, over the last 12 years, to secure dignity for their son, who has been in a permanent vegetative state.
Harish’s case was the first time SC has had to apply its own concepts and guidelines on withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. It first laid them down in 2018, in Common Cause vs Union of India, when SC was considering the question in the abstract.
Harish’s case was the first time SC has had to apply its own concepts and guidelines on withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment. It first laid them down in 2018, in Common Cause vs Union of India, when SC was considering the question in the abstract.
