Overview
- A bench of Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. V. Viswanathan allowed withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment after two medical boards unanimously found no realistic prospect of recovery and said continued care only prolonged biological existence.
- AIIMS, New Delhi, was directed to admit Rana to its palliative care unit and implement a tailored, dignified plan to withdraw clinically assisted nutrition and hydration under medical supervision.
- The judgment clarifies that clinically assisted nutrition and hydration constitute medical treatment and may be withheld or withdrawn when doing so is in the patient’s best interests.
- The order followed a petition by Rana’s father and noted family consensus, with the court recording that routine judicial intervention is unnecessary when primary and secondary medical boards concur.
- Invoking its 2018 Common Cause precedent and 2023 modifications, the Supreme Court urged the Union government to consider comprehensive legislation on end‑of‑life care to provide clarity and certainty.