DIGNITY OVER PROLONGATION: A CASE COMMENTARY ON HARISH RANA v. UNION OF INDIA (2026 INSC 222)

The Supreme Court's decision in Harish Rana v. Union of India is an important step in the evolving understanding of the right to die with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. Faced with the case of a patient in a permanent vegetative state, the Court recognised that the right to life also includes the right to be free from the unnecessary prolongation of irreversible suffering through artificial life support. This case commentary explores the Court's reasoning, its reliance on the principles laid down in Common Cause v. Union of India, and the delicate balance it seeks to maintain between the sanctity of life, personal dignity, and individual autonomy. It argues that the judgment places dignity at the heart of end-of-life decision-making while highlighting the continuing need for a clearer and more comprehensive legal framework to govern passive euthanasia and other end-of-life choices in India.