Short Essay on Euthanasia The term euthanasia is brought from the Greek word

euthanatize meaning well death. In recent years, there has been crying debate round
the globe over the issue, whether euthanasia is legalized.
Before going ahead on this issue, it is desirable here to first be introduced with this
terminology.
Euthanasia is basically killing of patients by doctors at the instance of the patient in order
to free him/her of excruciating pain or from terminal illness. Euthanasia may be either
active or passive.
Active euthanasia contemplates putting individuals to painless death for merciful reasons,
as when a doctor administers a lethal dose of medication to a patient, while passive
euthanasia involves not doing something to prevent death, as when doctors refrain from
using devices necessary to keep alive a terminally ill patient or a patient in a persistent
vegetative state.
As far as legal position on euthanasia in India is concerned, it is quite evident that
euthanasia is illegal. In case of active euthanasia there is an intention on the part of the
doctor to kill the patient, which would attract clause first of section 300 of the Indian
Penal Code, 1860. However, there is a valid consent of the patient, here again the doctor
cannot escape from liability and his case would fall under the Exception 5 to the said
section.
Further the cases of passive euthanasia or non-voluntary euthanasia would be struck by
proviso one to section 92 of the IPC and thus be rendered illegal. It is not out of context
to mention here that one should not be confused euthanasia with assisted suicide.
So far as law in India on the aspect of assisted suicide is concerned, it is clear like crystal
that abetment of suicide is an offence expressly punishable under sections 305 and 306 of
the IPC and after the Supreme Courts landmark judgment in Gian Kaur v. State of
Punjab it is now settled that the right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the
Constitution does not by any stretch of imagination include the right to die.
The position in this regard in other countries is different from India. In Netherlands
euthanasia is legalised. Same is the case in Australia. In England also, euthanasia is
allowed, while laws in U.S.A. maintain distinction between passive and active
euthanasia. While the former is prohibited, the latter is allowed.
Now, coming to the issue whether euthanasia is legalized or not. There are two views on
this issue. Supporters of euthanasia are of the view that society should acknowledge the
rights of patients and to respect the decisions of those, who choose euthanasia.
Patients, who are suffering from terminal disease, become hopeless and disappointed to
such an extent that they want to end their lives rather than to continue the same under
such pathetic circumstances. Every person has a right to live a dignified life and the
plight of the person causes him to live a tortuous life, then he should be allowed to end
such tortuous existence.
On the contrary, the opponents of euthanasia emphasise that health-care providers are
obligated to prohibit killing as euthanasia is inconsistent with the roles of nursing, caring
and healing. That is why society has no right to kill them and thereby deny them the
chance of future recovery.
At the end, we can conclude that euthanasia should be allowed. A terminally ill patient,

who has no chance of recovery rather to endure unbearable pain for the remaining years
of his life, should be allowed to die so that, spending money, facilities, and time on such a
person would be of no utility but the waste of the same.
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