Euthanasia In India: A Judicial And Ethical Discourse

Mohit Kumar, LL.M., Chanakya National Law University

ABSTRACT

Every country with a civilised culture contains a number of social, ethical, and religious precepts that the citizens of that country typically regard as sacred. The consciousness of those people is governed by these ideals. There is one such concept, the sacredness of human life, that permeates all civilised cultures in the globe. Most individuals believe that there is intrinsic value in a human being’s life. Humans have progressed more than any other life form to the point where they are more advanced than animals.

However, the sanctity of life is one of many values that are regarded as universal and upheld as such, not an absolute concept. Another such principle is the one of the right to autonomy and self-determination. A person has the right to autonomy, which means he or she is allowed to choose how to spend his or her life. The tension that exists between the sanctity of life and individual autonomy when we discuss euthanasia is difficult to ignore. Through an analysis of judicial patterns, this essay will attempt to resolve the conundrum.