Months after allowing passive euthanasia (withdrawal of life support) for 31-year-old Harish Rana, the Supreme Court on Wednesday hailed his family’s decision to donate his organs upon his death [Harish Rana vs Union of India].

Rana had earlier been left in a permanent vegetative state since 2013 after falling from a building. On March 11, the Supreme Court allowed his family's plea to withdraw his life support, on finding that there was no chance for his recovery.

Rana passed away on March 24 after being shifted from his residence to palliative care at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), pursuant to the Supreme Court’s March 11 judgment.

Today, a Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan noted that Rana’s corneas and heart valve were donated by his family. The Court lauded the decision as an act of generosity even in the face of personal loss.

"His family chose generosity through the selfless decision to donate his corneas and heart valve. Through this act, his life continues in others. His legacy will live on in the lives of those he saved,” the Court said.

The Bench noted that in his final moments, Rana experienced comfort and respect. His peaceful passing away from tubes and machines reflected autonomy and dignity in both life and death, the Court said.

The Bench added that the case served as a reminder that medicine has its limits and that prolonging life in ways a person would not choose for themselves is not true care.

Allowing someone to pass on their own terms and alleviating their suffering affirms their dignity and honours their ultimate control, the Court added.

“This litigation has taught many things to one and all, including two of us as judges,” the Bench remarked.

The matter was listed today for the Court to examine whether the directives it issued in its March 11 verdict were complied with.

During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner (Rana's family) informed the Court that Rana’s death certificate had been filed before the registry. This was done in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment in Common Cause vs Union of India, the 2018 ruling in which the Court recognised and gave sanction to passive Euthanasia and living will/advance directives.

The Court took on record Rana's death certificate dated April 7, 2026 and directed that it be preserved with the case records for three years. A report forwarded by AIIMS was also directed to be kept in a sealed cover.

It also expressed gratitude to the doctors at AIIMS who attended to Rana during his final days in palliative care, the petitioner’s counsel Rashmi Nandakumar and Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati, who appeared for the Union government.

The Court further asked Bhati to file another status report by July on compliance with certain earlier directives.

[Live Coverage]