Supreme Court judge distinguishes between active and passive euthanasia

The distinction between “active” and “passive” euthanasia goes beyond the simplistic binary of “act” versus “omission”, Supreme Court judge Justice J.B. Pardiwala said on Wednesday (March 11, 2026).

“The true distinction between active and passive euthanasia lies not merely in the nature of the conduct, i.e., acts or omissions, but also in the source of the harm that leads to death,” Justice Pardiwala said in a judgment, upholding the withdrawal of life support to a 32-year-old man in a persistent vegetative state for more than 12 years.