Common Cause v. Union of India
(2018) 5 SCC 1 · 5-judge bench
A petition asked the Court to recognise a right to die with dignity, including through passive euthanasia and "living wills" (advance medical directives refusing life support in a terminal, irreversible condition).
The Court held that the right to die with dignity is part of the right to life under Article 21, upheld the legality of passive euthanasia under strict safeguards, and permitted individuals to execute a living will specifying their end-of-life medical wishes in advance.
Gave legal force to a genuinely difficult, deeply personal end-of-life choice that had no clear legal status before — families and doctors now have an actual legal framework (not just informal practice) for honouring a patient's own wishes.
Related law
The right to life and dignity this end-of-life right was read into
This is a plain-English summary, not verbatim judgment text. Adhikar is an independent citizen-awareness platform, not a Government of India website. Always verify against the full judgment (indiankanoon.org, sci.gov.in) or a qualified advocate before relying on this for an actual legal situation.