The issue of euthanasia has once again come to the shore as Kerala Law Reforms Commission presented a proposal to SC asking for the legalisation of mercy killing in the state. Not only this, the proposal even recommends the deletion of Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code that considers attempt to suicide as an offence.

The proposal states that if the victim is suffering from an irrecoverable medical condition, then his/her friends and relatives should be allowed to seek responsible medical opinion and then request for euthanasia. In such a case, mercy killing would be performed for humanistic and compassionate reasons only.

The SC’s previous stand on the issue will be a tough nut for the Kerala government to crack. For starters, the former declared euthanasia as nothing but “homicide”. But the appealing party is not deterred. They believe that the right to live also means right to live with dignity, good health and a freedom from distress.
Some forms of euthanasia are legal in Belgium, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the U.S. state of Oregon, Andalusia and Thailand.
Via topnews