Topic Details (Notes format)

Euthanasia and Constitutional Debates

Subject: Polity

Book: Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth

Focuses on the “right to die with dignity” as an extension of Article 21 (right to life). The Supreme Court’s Aruna Shanbaug (2011) and Common Cause (2018) judgments permitted passive euthanasia under strict guidelines, acknowledging living wills. Critics fear misuse or moral implications, while proponents cite bodily autonomy and relief from incurable suffering. India’s legal stance differentiates active euthanasia (illegal) from passive euthanasia (withdrawal of life support). Balancing individual autonomy, familial pressures, and medical ethics underscores a sensitive domain requiring robust safeguards. This debate spotlights evolving interpretations of personal liberty under India’s progressive jurisprudence.

Practice Questions

What is the maximum number of members in the Legislative Assembly of a state?

What is the maximum number of judges in the Supreme Court of India?

प्रधानमंत्री का कार्यकाल कितने वर्षों का होता है?

Who among the following is the ex-officio Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of India?

Which of the following provisions is related to the emergency powers of the President of India?

आपातकाल की घोषणा के लिए प्रत्येक सदन में कितने प्रतिशत मतों की आवश्यकता होती है?

राज्यसभा के सदस्यों का चयन किस आधार पर किया जाता है?

विधायिका के प्रमुख का चुनाव किस प्रक्रिया से होता है?

Who is the head of the government in India?

विधान सभा सदस्यों के विवाद समाधान की प्रक्रिया किस अनुच्छेद में है?