EUTHANASIA IN INDIA – LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Every human being should enjoy right to life. Article 21 of the Indian Constitution as well as under article 3 of International Convention Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, guaranteed the right to life. Every aspect of right to life has been always subject to consideration of judiciary and depend upon the facts and situations. Right to die is also claimed under this head. Euthanasia is interpreted as 'mercy killing' or 'good death'. It is advocated that there are different situations in which it should be allowed to the person to let him choose his death in place of compelling him living alive. There are different approaches in this regard which either opposes the grant of mercy killing or denies to grant the death as right to die due to some causes. Everyone has the right to live dignified life according to his wish being living into certain limits and it is expected that a human being should struggle also in adverse circumstances around him. He should not lean in front of the situations. The Indian culture gives us such teachings. Hindu religion believes in the eternity of soul. Death is only the way to change a body. The soul never dies, it is eternal. Muslim religion also believes that life should be finished only upon the wish of Allah, it condemns the unnatural ending of life. But in present society in some situations, it is defended that the person should have the right to choose death. Thus, in this context the paper concentrated on the law of euthanasia in India in a legislative perspective and judicial interpretations on euthanasia.