Passive euthanasia: Retired professor couple registers 'living will' in Chandigarh court

A retired professor couple based in Chandigarh has moved an advance directive in the local court here that will let them state their wishes for their future medical care in case of a terminal illness.

The advance directive, or 'living will', has been moved in the Chandigarh district court.

Speaking to ANI, professor DN Jauhar, who has executed the living will, noted that passive euthanasia became legal in India after the Supreme Court, in its March 2018 verdict, gave a legal sanction to it and permitted advance directive.

"Passive euthanasia has become legal after the Supreme Court's landmark March 2018 judgement. You have to execute a document known as advance directive. You can call this living will, although this word has not been used in the judgement," the professor said.

"We are perhaps the first people to move an advance directive. Back in 1999, we worked on a thesis where we had strongly argued that passive euthanasia should be allowed. Under the Constitution, I have the fundamental right to live with dignity, which also includes my right to die with dignity," he added.