In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India granted legal recognition to passive euthanasia, permitting individuals to create 'living wills' or advance medical directives. This legal mechanism allows patients who are terminally ill or in a persistent vegetative state to refuse life-prolonging medical interventions, such as ventilators or artificial feeding, should they become incapacitated in the future.

While the ruling was intended to provide dignity to patients and relief to families facing end-of-life decisions, the practical application of the law has been slow. Reports indicate that a significant portion of the Indian public remains unaware of their right to draft these documents. Furthermore, the process for executing a living will involves complex administrative requirements, including the need for attestation by a notary or a gazetted officer and countersignature by a judicial magistrate, which many families find daunting.

Medical professionals have also expressed caution regarding the implementation of the ruling. Some doctors remain hesitant to withdraw life support due to fears of potential legal repercussions, despite the court's clear guidelines. Consequently, the gap between the legal right to a dignified death and the actual ability to exercise that right remains wide. Families often find themselves unprepared for the complexities of end-of-life care, leading to situations where patients remain on life support against their previously stated wishes or the desires of their loved ones because the necessary legal paperwork was never completed or recognized by healthcare institutions.