Holding

Sections 306 and 309 of the Indian Penal Code are constitutionally valid; Article 21 does not include a right to die.

Summary

Gian Kaur and her husband were convicted under Section 306 of the IPC for abetting the suicide of Kulwant Kaur. They appealed, arguing that Section 306 (and Section 309) were unconstitutional because Article 21 of the Constitution includes a "right to die", as held in P. Rathinam. The Supreme Court, sitting as a Constitution Bench, re‑examined the scope of Article 21 and held that it guarantees protection of life and personal liberty but does not encompass a right to terminate life. Consequently, Section 309 was found not to violate Article 21 or Article 14, and Section 306 was held to be a distinct, valid offence that can exist independently of Section 309. The appeals were dismissed and the statutes were declared constitutionally valid.

Issues considered

Whether Article 21 of the Constitution includes a right to die
Whether Section 309 IPC is violative of Article 21
Whether Section 309 IPC is violative of Article 14
Whether Section 306 IPC is unconstitutional on the basis of the right to die
Whether Section 306 IPC can survive independently of Section 309 IPC

Legislation cited

Constitution of Indias. Article 14, s. Article 21
Criminal Procedure Code, 1908s. 360
Indian Penal Code, 1860s. 107, s. 306, s. 309
Probation of Offenders Act, 1958s. 12

Subjects

right to liferight to dieArticle 21Article 14Section 306 IPCSection 309 IPCabetment of suicideconstitutional validityeuthanasiasanctity of life

Judgment

SMT. GIAN KAUR ETC. ETC. A
v.
THE STATE OF PUNJAB ETC. ETC.

MARCH 21, 1996

[J.S. VERMA, G.N. RAY, N.P. SINGH, FAIZAN UDDIN B
AND G.T. NANAVAT!, JJ.]

Constitution of India, 1950 :

~ A1ticle 21--lnterpretation of-Right to life-Scope of-Held does not C
include right to die-Any aspect which makes life dignified is included in right
to life but not that which extinguishes it-Negative aspects included in other
freedoms under Anicle 19-Held inapplicable to Article 21.

Indian Penal Code, 1860:
D
Section 309--Suicide-Attempt--Pwiishment fo,.._provision held not
violative of Arlie/es 14 and 21.

Y Section 306-Abetment of suicide-Punishment fo,.._provision held not
unconstitutional--Abetment of suicide and attempt to suicide-Held two
distinct offences-Held Section 306 can survive independent of Section 309. E
The appellant and her hnsband were convicted by the trial Conrt
under Section 306 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 for abetting the commission
of suicide. Their conviction was upheld by the High Court. In appeal to
this Court it was contended that 'right to die' being included in Article 21
of the Constitutio.n as held in P. Rathinam v. Union of India & Anr., [1994) F
3 SCC 394 declaring Section 309 IPC to be unconstitutional, any person
abetting the commission of suicide by another is merely assisting in the
enforcement of the fundamental right under Article 21; and, therefore,
Section 306 !PC penalising assisted suicide is equally violative of Article
21. In view of the fact that the argument was based on the decision in P. G
Rathinam's case the Court felt the need to reconsider that decision.

Accordingly the matter was referred to a Constitution Bench along
with the connected appeals.

On the questions (i) whether Sections 306 and 309 of the Indian H
697
698 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1996] 3 S.C.R.

A Penal Code, 1860 are constitntionally valid and (ii) whether 'right to life'
enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution includes 'right to die' :

Disposing of the appeals this Court

HELD : 1. Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 is not violative
B of Article 21 of the Constitution. [720-B-C]

2. Article 21 is a provision guaranteeing protection of life and per-
sonal liberty and by no stretch of imagination can 'extinction of life' be read
to be included in 'protection of life'. Whatever may be the philosophy of
C permitting a person to extinguish his life by committing suicide, it is dif- Ii.
ficult to construe Article 21 to include within it the 'right to die' as a part of
the fundamental right guaranteed therein. 'Right to life' is a natural right
embodied in Article 21 but suicide is an unnatural termination or extinction
of life and, therefore, incompatible and inconsistent with the concept of
'right to life'. When a man commits suicide he has to undertake certain
D positive overt acts and the genesis of those acts cannot be traced to, or be
included within the protection of the 'right to life' under Article 21. The
significant aspect of sanctity of lite is not to be overlooked. [711-E-F]

3. There is no similarity in the nature of the other rights, such as
E the right to 'freedom of speech' etc. to provide a comparable basis to hold
that the 'right to life' also includes the 'right to die'. The comparison is
inapposite. The interpretation of Article 21 made in P. Rathinam's case
cannot be agreed to. The only reason for which Section 309 is held to be
violative of Article 21 in P. Rathinam's case does not withstand legal
scrutiny. [711-G; 712-H]
F
4. To give meaning and content to the word 'life' in Article 21, it has
been construed as life with human dignity. Any aspect of life which makes
it dignified may be read into it but not that which extinguishes it and is,
therefore, inconsistent with the continued existence of life resulting in
G effacing the right itself. The 'right to die', if any, is inherently inconsistent
with the 'right to die' as is 'death' with 'life'. [712-A-B]

S. Protagonism of euthanasia on the view that existence in persistent
vegetative state (PVS) is not a benefit to the patient of a terminal illness
being unrelated to the principle of 'sanctity of life' or the 'right to live with
H dignity' is of no assistance to determine the scope of Article 21 for deciding
G. KAUR v. STATE 699

whether the guarantee of 'right to life' therein includes the 'right to die'. The A
'right to life' including the right to live with human dignity would mean the
existence of such a right upto the end of natural life. This also includes the
right to a dignified life upto the point of death including a dignified proce·
dure of death. In other words, this may include the right of a dying man to
also die with dignity when his life is ebbing out. But the 'right to die' with B
dignity at the end ol"life is not to be confused or equated with the 'right to
die' an unnatural death curtailing the natural span of life. [712-C·D)

6. A question may arise, in the context of a dying man, who is,
terminally ill or in a persistent vegetative state that he may be permitted
to terminate it by a premature extinction of his life in those circumstances. C
This category of cases may fall within the ambit of the 'right to die' with
dignity as a part of right to live with dignity, when death due to termination
of natural life is certain and imminent and the process of natural death
has commenced. These are not cases of extinguishing life but only ·of
,· accelerating conclusion of the process of natural death which has already
commenced. The debate even in such cases to permit physician assisted D
; termination of life is inconclusive. It is sufficient to reiterate that the
argument to support the view of permitting termination of life in such
cases to reduce the period of suffering during the process of certain
natural death is not available to interpret Article 21 to include therein the
right to curtail the natural span of life. [712-E·G) E
P. Rathinam v. Union of India & Anr., [1994] 3 SCC 394 and Marnti
Shripati Dubai v. State of Maharashtra, (1987) Crl. LJ. 743, overruled.

State v. Sanjay Kumar Bhatia, (1985) Crl. LJ. 931; Mt. Barkat ·v.
Emperor, AIR (1934) Lah. 514; Emperor v.Dwarka Pooja, 14 Born. L.R. 146; F
Emperor v. Mt Dhirajia, AIR (1940) All. 486; Ram Sunder v. State of UP.,
AIR (1962) All. 262; Valentino v. State, AIR (1967) Goa 138; Phulbltai v.
State of Maharashtra, (1976) Crl. L,J. 1519; Radharani v. State of M.P., AIR
(1981) SC 1776 and Rukmina Devi v. State of UP., (1988) Crl. LJ. 548,
referred to.
G
Encyclopaedia of Crime and Justice, Vol. IV p. 1521, (1983) Edn.,-
referred to.

Chenna Jagadeeswar and Anr. v. State of Andhra Pradesh, (1988) Crl.
L. J. 549, approved. H
700 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996] 3 S.C.R.

A F. Max Muller Ed. Laws of Manu translated by George Buhler, (1967
Reprint) Vol. 25, p 204; H. Romi/ly Fedden; Suicide (London, 1938) 42; "The
Right to Die: New Problems for law and Medicine and Psychiatry'~ 37 Emory
,..
Law Joumal 627 (1988) referred to.

7. It cannot he said that Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code is
B violative of Article 14. Article 21 cannot be pressed into service to support
the challenge based on Article 14. (715-GJ

8. The debate on the desirability of retaining a penal provision of
punishing attempted suicide, including the recommendation for its dele-
c tion by the Law Commission are not sufficient to indicate that the
provision is unconstitutional being violative of Article 14. Even if those
facts are to weigh, the severity of the provision is mitigated by the wide
discretion in the matter of sentencing since there is no .requirement of
awarding any minimum sentence and the sentence of imprisonment is not
even compulsory. There is also no minimum fine prescribed as sentence,
D which alone may be the punishment awarded on conviction under Section
309 IPC. This aspect is noticed in P. Rathinam's case for holding that
Article 14 is not violated. (715-B-C)
•
"V
P. Rathinam v. Union of India & Anr., [1994) 3 SCC 394, affirmed. ~

E (To the extent it holds that Section 309 IPC is not violative of Article 14).
9. The desirability of retaining Section 309 in the statute is a different
matter and non-sequiture in the context of constitutional validity of that
provision which has to be tested with reference to some provision in the
Constitution oflndia. Assuming for this purpose that it may be desirable to
F delete Section 309 from Indian Penal Code for the reasons which led to the ~
recommendation of the Law Commission and the formation of that opinion
by persons opposed to the continuance of such a provision, that cannot be
a reason by itself to declare Section 309 unconstitutional unless it is held to
be violative of any specific provision in the Constitution. (708-D·EJ
G 10. The challenge to the constitutional validity of Section 309 IPC
having been rejected, no serious challenge to the constitutional validity of
>r"
Section 306 survives. Section 306 enacts a distinct offence which is capable
of existence independent of Section 309 IPC. Section 306 prescribes punish-
ment for 'abetment of suicide' while Section 309 punishes 'attempt to com-
'
H mit suicide'. Abetment of attempt to commit suicide is outside the purview
G. KAUR v. STATE 701

of Section 306 and it is punishable only under Section 309 read with Section A
107 IPC. Even where the punishment for attempt to commit suicide is not
considered desirable, its abetment is made a penal offence. In other words
assisted suicide and assisted attempt to commit suicide are made punish·
able for cogent reasons in the interest of society. Such a provision is
considered desirable to also prevent the danger inherent in the absence of
such a penal provision. The abettor is viewed differently, inasmuch as he B
abets the extinguishment of life of another person, and punishment of
abetment is considered necessary to prevent abuse of the absence of such
a penal provision. [716-B·C; G-~; 717-A; C]

11. Assisted suicide outside the category of physician assisted suicide C
have no rational basis to claim exclusion of the fundamental principle of
sanctity of life. The reasons assigned for attacking a provision which
penalises attempted suicide are not available to the abettor of snicide or
attempted suicide. Abetment of suicide or attempted suicide is a distinct
offence which is found enacted even in the law of the countries where
attempted suicide is not made punishable. Section 306 IPC enacts a distinct D
I offence which can survive independent of Section 309 in the IPC. Section
306 IPC is not unconstitutional. [719-E-G]

Naresh Marotrao Sakhare and Anr. v. Union of India & Ors., (1995)
Crl. L.J. 96, approved.
E
Rodriguez v. B.C. (A.·G.), 107 D.L.R. (4th Series) 342; Compassion in
Dying v. State of Washington, 49 F. 3d 586 andAiredale N.HA. Trnst v. Bland,
(1993) 2 WLR 316 (H.L.), referred to .
• R. v. Cardiff Coroner, er P. Thomas, (1970] 3 All ER 469 = (1970) 1
WLR 1475 and Reg. v. Cox 18 September, 1992 (unreported), cited.
F

CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Criminal Appeal No.
274 of 1984 Etc. Etc.

From the Judgment and Order dated 20.2.84 of the. Punjab & G
Haryana High Court in Crl. A No. 629-SB of 1982.

K.T.S. Tulsi, B.S. Malik, K.N. Shukla, M.K. Banerjee, Soli J. Sorabjee
and F.S. Nariman, (Sanjay Bansal) for G.K. Bansal AS. Sohal, M.C.
Dhingra, A.K. Sanghi K.K. Gogna, H.M. Singh, S.K. Gambhir, Vivek
Gambir, Dr. Meera Aggarwal, R.C. Mishra, Eorael Ali, H.S. Phoolka, H
702 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1996) 3 S.C.R.

A Dipak Bhattacharya, Rathan Das, (Sushi! Bajaj) for R.S. Suri, S.M. Jadhav,
D.M. Nargolkar, B.S. Banthia, Uma Nath Singh and P. Parmeswarn for the
Appearing parties.

The judgment of the Court were delivered by

B J.S. VERMA, J. Leave granted in special leave petitions.

The .appellants Gian Kaur and her husband Harbans Singh were
convicted by the Trial Court under Section 306, Indian Penal Code, 1860
(for short "!PC") and each sentenced to six years R.I. and fine of Rs. 2,000,
or, in default, further R.I for nine months, for abetting the commission of
C suicide by Kulwant Kaur. On appeal to the High Court, the conviction of
both has been maintained but the sentence of Gian Kaur alone has been
reduced to R.I. for three years. These appeals by special leave are against
their conviction and sentence under section 306, !PC.

The conviction of the appellants has been assailed, inter alia, on the
D ground that Section 306, IPC is unconstitutional. The first argument ad-
vanced to challenge the constitutional validity of Section 306, !PC rests on •
the decision in P. Rathinam v. Union of India and Anr., 1994 (3) SCC 394,
by a Bench of two learned Judges of this Court wherein Section 309, !PC
has been held to be unconstitutional as violative of Article 21 of the
E Constitution. It is urged that 'right to die' being included in Article 21 of
the Constitution as held in P. Rathinarn declaring Section 309, !PC to be
unconstitutional, any person abetting the commission of suicide by another
is merely assisting in the enforcement of the fundamental right under
Article 21; and, therefore, Section 306, !PC penalising assisted suicide is
equally violative of Article 21. This argument, it is urged, is alone sufficient
F to declare that Section 306, !PC also is unconstitutional being violative of
Article 21 of the Constitution.

One of the points directly raised is the inclusion of the 'right to die'
within the ambit of Article 21 of the Constitution, to contend that any
G person assisting the enforcement of the 'right to die' is merely assisting in
the enforcement of the fundamental right under Article 21 which cannot
be penal; and Section 306, !PC making that act punishable, therefore, ,,,_.~
violates Article 21. In view of this argument based on the decision in P:
Rathinam, a reconsideration of that decision is inescapable.

H In view of the significance of this contention involving a substantial
G.KAURv. STATE[VERMA,J.] 703
•
question of law as to the interpretation of Article 21 relating to the A
constitutional validity of Section 306, LP .C. which requires reconsideration
of the decision in P. Rathinam, the Division Bench before which these
appeals came up for hearing has referred the matter to a Constitution
Bench for deciding the same. This is how the matter comes before the
Constitution Bench.
B
In addition to the learned counsel for the parties and the learned
Attorney General of India who appeared in response to the notice, we also
requested Shri Fali S. Nariman and Shri Soli J. Sorabaj_ee, Senior Advo-
cates to appear as amicus Curiae in this matter. All the learned counsel
appearing before us have rendered great assistance to enable us to decide C
this ticklish and sensitive issue.

We may now refer to the submissions of the several learned counsel
who ably projected the different points of view.

Shri Ujagar Singh and Shri B.S. Malik appeared in these matters for D
·' the appellants to support the challenge to the constitutional validity of
Section 306 and 309, !PC. Both the learned counsel contended that Section
)' 306 as well as Section 309 are unconstitutional. Both of them relied on the
decision in P. Rathinam. However, Shri Ujagar Singh supported the con-
clusion in P. Rathinam of the constitutional invalidity of Section 309, !PC E
only on the ground of violation of Article 14 and not Article 21. Shri B.S.
Malik contended that Section 309 is violative of Articles 14 and 21. He
strongly relied on the ground based on Article 21 in P. Rathinam for
holding Section 309 to be invalid. He urged that 'right to die' being
included within the ambit of Article 21, assistance in commission of suicide
-y cannot be an offence and, therefore, Section 306, !PC also is violative of F
Article 21. He contended that Section 306 is unconstitutional for this
reason alone. Shri S.K. Gambhir appearing in one of the connected matters
did not advance any additional argument.

The learned Attorney General contended that Section 306 !PC con-
stitutes a distinct offence and can exist independently of Section 309, !PC. G
The learned Attorney General did not support the decision in P. Rathinam
and the construction made of Article 21 therein to include the 'right to die'.
Shri F.S. Nariman submitted that Sections 306 and 309 constitute inde-
pendent substantive offences and Section 306 can exist independently of
Section 309. Shri Nariman then contended that the desirability of deleting H
704 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996] 3 S.C.R.

A Section 309 from the IPC is different from saying that it is unconstitutional.
He also submitted tliat the debate on euthanasia is not relevant for decid-
ing the question of constitutional validity of Section 309. He submitted that
Article 21 cannot be construed to include within it the so called 'right to
die' since Article 21 guarantees protection of life and liberty and not its
extinction. He submitted that Section 309 does not violate even Article 14
B since the provision of sentence therein gives ample discretion to apply that
provision with compassion to an unfortunate victim of circumstances at-
tempting to commit suicide. Shri Nariman referred to the reported
decisions to indicate that the enforcement of this provision by the courts
has been with compassion to ensure that it is not harsh in operation. Shri
C Nariman submitted that the decision in P. Rathinam requires reconsidera-
tion as it is incorrect. Shri Soli J. Sorabjee submitted that Section 306 can
survive independently of Section 309, IPC as it does not violate either
Article 14 or Article 21. Shri Sorabjee did not support the construction
made of Article 21 in P. Rathinam to include therein the 'right to die' but
D he supported the conclusion that Section 309 is unconstitutional on the
ground that it violates Article 14 of the Constitution. Shri Sorabjee sub-
mitted that it has been universally acknowledged that a provision to punish
attempted suicide is monstrous and barbaric and, therefore, it must be held
to be violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. Shri Sorabjee's argument,
therefore, is that Section 306, !PC must be upheld as constitutional but
E Section 309 should be held as unconstitutional, not as violative of Article
21 as held in P. Rathinam but being violat:ve of Article 14 of the Constitu-
tion. He also sought assistance from Article 21 to support the argument
based on Article 14.

At this stage, it would be appropriate to refer to the decisions
F
wherein the question of constitutional validity of Section 309, !PC was
considered.

Maruti Shripati Dubai v. State of Maharashtra, [1987] Cr!. L.J. 743, is
the decision by a Division Bench of the Bombay High Court. In that
G decision, P.B. Sawant, J., as he then was, speaking for the Division Bench
held that Section 309 !PC is violative of Article 14 as well as Article 21 of
the Constitution. The provision was held to be discriminatory in nature and
also arbitrary so as to violate the equality guaranteed by Article 14. Article
21 was construed to include the 'right to die', or to terminate one's own
H life. For this reason it was held to violate Article 21 also. ·
G. KAUR v. STATE [VERMA, J.] 705

State v. Sanjay Kumar Bhatia, [1985] Cr!. LJ. 931, is the decision of A
the Delhi High Court. Sachar, J., as he then was, speaking for the Division
Bench said that the continuance of Section 309 !PC is an anachronism
unworthy of human society like ours. However, the question of its constitu-
tional validity with reference to any provision of the Constitution was not
considered. Further consideration of this decision is, therefore, not neces- B
sary.

Chenna Jagadeeswar and Another v. State of Andhra Pradesh, 1988
Cr!. L.J. 549, is the decision by a Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh
High Court. The challenge to the constitutional validity of Section 309 !PC
was rejected therein. The argument that Article 21 includes the 'right to C
die' was rejected. It was also pointed out by Amareshwari, J. speaking for
the Division Bench that the Courts have sufficient power power to see that
unwarranted harsh treatment or prejudice is not meted out to those who
need care and attention. This negatived the suggested violation of Article
14.
D
The only decision of this Court is P. Rathinam by a Bench of two
learned Judges. Hansaria, J. speaking for the Division Bench rejected the
challenge to the constitutional validity of Section 309 based on Article 14
but upheld the challenge on the basis of Article 21 of the Constitution. The
earlier decisions of the Bombay High Court and the Andhra Pradesh High E
Court were considered and agreement was expressed with the view taken
by the Andhra Pradesh High Court as regards Section 309 qua Article 14.
The decision then proceeds to consider the challenge with reference to
Article 21 of the Constitution. It was held that Article 21 has enough
positive content in it so that it also includes the 'right to die' which F
inevitably leads to the right to commit suicide. Expressing agreement with
the view of the Bombay High Court in respect of the content of Article 21,
it was held as under :

"Keeping in view all the above, we state that right to live of
which Article 21 speaks of can be said to bring in its trail the right G
not to live a forced life."

(Page 410)

The conclusion of the discussion was summarised as under : H
706 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [19%] 3 S.C.R.

A "On the basis of what has been held and noted above, we state
that Section 309 of the Penal Code deserves to be effaced from
the statute book to humanise our penal laws. It is a cruel and
irrational provision, and it may result in punishing a person again
(doubly) who has suffered agony and would be undergoing ig-
nominy because of his failure to commit suicide. Then ·an act of
B suicide cannot be said to be against religion, morality or public
policy, and an act of attempted suicide has no baneful effect on
society. Further, suicide or attempt to commit it causes no harm
to others, because of which State's interference with the personal
liberty of the persons concerned is not called for.
c
We, therefore, hold that Section 309 violates Article 21, and
so, it is void. May it be said that the view taken by us would advance
not only the cause of humanisation, which is a need of the day, but
of globalisation also, as by effacing Section 309, we would be
D attuning this part of our criminal law to the global wavelength."

(Page 429)

At this stage it may be mentioned that reference has been made in
P. Rathinam and the Bombay High Court decision to the debate relating
E to euthanasia, the sociological and psychological factors contributing to
suicidal tendencies and the global debate on the desirability of not punish-
ing 'attempt to commit suicide'. The absence of provisions to punish
attempted suicide in several jurisdictions has also been noticed. The
desirability of attempted suicide not being made a penal offence and the
F recommendation of the Law Commission to delete Section· 309 from the 't
Indian Penal Code has also been adverted to. We may refer only to the
recommendation contained in the 42nd Report (1971) of the Law Commis-
sion of India which contains the gist of this logic and was made taking into
account all these aspects. The relevant extract is, as under :

G "16.31 Section 309 penalises an attempt to commit suicide. It may
be mentioned that suicide .was regarded as permissible in some
circumstances in ancient India. In the Chapter on ''The hermit in
the forest", Mann's Code (See : Laws of Mann, translated by
George Buhler, Sacred Books of the East edited by F. Max Mnller,
H (1967 Reprint) Vol. 25, page 204, Shilokas 31 and 32) says -
G.KAURv. STATE[VERMA,J.] 707

"31. Or let him walk, fully determined and going straight on, in A
-1 a north-easterly direction, subsisting on water and air, until his
body sinks to rest.

32. A Brabmana having got rid of bis body by one of those
modes (i.e. drowning, precipitating burining or starving) practiced
by the great sages, is exalted in the world of Brahamana, free from B
sorrow and fear".

Two commentators of Mann, Goverdhana and Kulluka (See
)/
Medhatithi's commentary on Manu), say that a man may undertake
the mahaprasthana (great departure) on a journey which ends in
death, when be is incurably diseased or meets with a great misfor-
c
tune, and that, because it is taught in the Sastras, il is not opposed
to the Vedic rules which forbid suicide (See : Laws of Manu,
translated by George Buhler, Sacred Books of the East edited by
F. Max Muller, (1967 Reprint) Vol. 25, page 204, foot note 31).
To this Max Muller adds a note as follows : (See : Ibid) D
'
f "From the parallel passage of Apas tambha II, 23, 2, it is,
however, evident that a voluntary death by starvation was con-
sidered the befitting conclusion of a hermit's life. The antiquity
and general prevalence of the practice may be inferred from the
E
fact that the Jaina ascetics, too, consider it particularly
meritorious."

• 16.32 Looking at the offence of attempting to commit suicide, it
1 bas been observed by an English writer : (See : H. Romilly Fedden:
Suicide (London, 1938), page 42). F

"It seems a monstrous procedure to inflict further suffering on
even a single individual who has already found life so unbearable,
his chances of happiness so slender, that he bas been willing to
face pain and death in order to cease living. That those for whom
life is altogether bitter should be subjected to further bitterness
G
t-·y
and degradation seems pervers_e legislation." ·

Acting on the view·tbat such persons deserve the active sympathy
of society and not condemnation or punishment, the British Par-
liament enacted the Suicide Act in 1961 whereby attempt tc. H
708 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996] 3 S.C.R.

A commit suicide ceased to be an offence.

16.33 We included in our questionnaire the question whether
attempt to commit suicide should be punishable at all. Opinion
was more or less equally divided. We are, however, definitely of the
view that the penal provision is harsh and unjustifiable and it should
B be repealed."

(emphasis supplied)

A Bill was introduced in 1972 to amend the Indian Penal Code by deleting
C Section 309. However, the Bill lapsed and no attempt has been made as
yet to implement that recommendation of the Law Commission.

The desirability of retaining Section 309 in the Statute is a different
matter and non-sequiture in the context of constitutional validity of that
provision which has to be tested with reference to some provision in the
D Constitution of India. Assuming for this purpose that it may be desirable
to delete Section 309 from the Indian Penal Code for the reasons which
led to the recommendation of the Law Commission and the formation of
that opinion by persons opposed to the continuance of such a provision,
that cannot be a reason by itself to declare Section 309 unconstitutional
E unless it is held to be violative of any specific provision in the Constitution.
For this reason, challenge to the constitutional validity of Section 309 has
b~en made and is also required to be considered only with reference to
Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. We, therefore, proceed now to
consider the question of constitutional validity with reference to Articles
14 and 21 of the Constitution. Any further reference to the Global debate
F on the desirability of retaining a penal provision to punish attempted
suicide is unnecessary for the purpose of this decision. Undue emphasis on
that aspect and particularly the reference to euthanasia cases tends to
befog the real issue of the constitutionality of the provision and the crux
of the matter which is determinative of the issue.
G In P. Rathinam it was held that the scope of Article 21 includes the
'right to die'. P. Rathinam held that Article 21 has also a positive content
and is not merely negative in its reach. Reliance was placed on certain
decisions to indicate the wide ambit of Article 21 wherein the term· 'life'
does not mean 'mere animal existence' but 'right to live with human dignity'
H embracing quality of life. Drawing analogy from the interpretation of
G.KAURv. STATE[VERMA,J.] 709

'freedom of speech and expression' to include freedom not to speak, A
'freedom of association and movement' to include the freedom not to join
any association or to move anywhere, 'freedom of business' to include
freedom not to do business, it was held in P. Rathanam that logically it
must follow that right to live would include right not to live, i.e., right to
die or to terminate one's life. Having concluded that Article 21 includes B
also the right to die, it was held that Section 309, !PC was violative of
Article 21. This is the only basis in P. Rathinam to hold that Section 309,
IPC is unconstitutional.

'Right to die' - Is it included in Article 21?

The first question is : Whether, the scope of Article 21 also includes
c
the 'right to die'? Article 21 is as under :

Article 21

"21. Protection of life and personal liberty - No person shall be D
deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to proce-
dure established by law."

A significant part of the judgment in P. Rathinam on this aspect, is
as under:

"If a person has a right to live, question is whether .he has right
E
not to live. The Bombay High Court stated in paragraph 10 of its
judgment that as all the fundamental rights are to be read together,
as held in R.C. Cooper v. Union of India what is true on one
•
fundamental right is also true of another fundamental right. It was
then stated that is not, and cannot be, seriously disputed that F
fundamental rights have their positive as well as negative aspects. For
example, freedom of speech and expression includes freedom not to
speak. Similarly, the freedom of association and movement in-
cludes freedom not to join any association or move anywhere. So
too, freedom of business includes freedom not to do business. It G
was therefore, stated that logically it must follow that the right to live
will include right not to live i.e., right to die or to terminate one's life.

Two of the abovenamed critics of the Bombay judgment have
stated that the aforesaid analogy is "misplaced", which could have
arisen on account of superficial comparison between the freedoms, H
}

710 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996] 3 S.C.R.

A ignoring the inherent difference between one fundamental right
K
and the other. It has been argued that the negative aspect of the
right to live would mean the end or extinction of the positive aspect,
and so, it is not the suspension as such of the right as is in the case
of 'silence' or 'non-association' and 'no movement'. It has also been
stated that the right to life stands on different footing from other
B rights as all other rights are derivable from the right to live.

The aforesaid criticism is only partially correct inasmuch as
though the negative aspect may not be inferable on the analogy of
the rights conferred by different clauses of Article 19, one may "-

c refuse to live, if his life be not according to the person concerned
worth living or if the richness and fullness of life were not to
demand living further. One may rightly think that having achieved
all worldly pleasures or happiness he has something to achieve
beyond this life. This desire for communion with God may very rightly
lead even a very healthy mind to think that he would forego his right
D to live and would rather choose not to live. In any case, a person
cannot be forced to enjoy right to life to his detriment, disadvantage
....
or disliking.

xxx xxx xxx
E
Keeping in view all the above, we staie that right to live of which
Anicle 21 speaks of can be said to bring in its trail the right not to
live a forced life.

In this context, reference may be made to what Alan A. Stone, ...
F while serving as Professor of Law and Psychiatry in Harvard
University stated in his 1987 Jonas Robitscher Memorial Lecture
in Law and Psychiatry, under the caption "The Right to Die : New
Problems for Law and Medicine and Psychiatry. (This lecture has
been printed at pp. 627 to 643 of Emory Law Journal, Vol. 37,
1988). One of the basic theories of the lecture of Professor Stone
G
was that right to die inevitably leads to the right to commit suicide." ... "~

(emphasis supplied)
(Pages 409-410)

H From the above extract, it is clear that in substance the reason for
G. KAURv. STATE[VERMA,J.] 711

that view is, that if a person has right to live, he also has a right not to live. A
The decisions relied on for taking that view relate to other fundamental
rights which deal with different situations and different kind of rights. In
those cases the fundamental right is of a positive kind, for example,
freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of movement, freedom
of business etc. which were held to include the negative aspect of their B
being no compulsion to exercise that right by doing the guaranteed positive
act. Those decisions merely held that the right to do an act includes also
the right not to do an act in that manner. It does not flow from those
decisions that if the ·right is for protection from any intrusion thereof by
others or in other words the right has the negative aspect of not being
deprived by others of its continued exercise e.g. the right to life or personal C
liberty, then the converse positive act also flows therefrom to permit
expressly its discontinuance or extinction by the holder of such right. In
those decisions it is the negative aspect of the right that was invoked for
which ho positive or overt act was required to be done by implication. This
difference in the nature of rights has to be borne in mind when making the D
comparison for the application ofthis principle.

When a man commits suicide he has to undertake certain positive
overt acts and the genesis of those acts cannot be traced to, or be included
within the protection of the 'right to life' under Article 21. The significant
aspect of 'sanctity of life' is also not to be overlooked. Article 21 is a E
provision guaranteeing protection of life and personal liberty and by no
stretch of imagination can 'extinction of life' be read to be included in
'protection of life'. Whatever may be the philosophy of permitting a person
to extinguish his life by committing suicide, we find it difficult to construe
Article 21 to include within it the 'right to die' as a part of the fundamental F
right guaranteed therein. 'Right to life' is a natural right embodied in
Article 21 but suicide is an unnatural termination or extinction of life, and
therefore, incompatible and inconsistent with the concept of 'right to life'.
With respect and in all humility, we find no similarity in the nature of the
other rights, such as the right to 'freedom of speech' etc. to provide a
comparable basis to hold that the 'right to life' also includes the 'right to G
die'. With respect, the comparison is inapposite, for the reason indicated
in the context of Article 21. The decisions relating to other fundamental
rights wherein the absence of compulsion to exercise a right was held to
be included within· the exercise of that right, are not available to support
the view taken in P. Rathinam qua Article 21. H
712 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1996) 3 S.C.R.

A To give meaning and content to the word 'life' in Article 21, it has
been construed as life with human dignity. Any aspect of life which makes
it dignified may be read into it but not that which extinguishes it and is, .--
therefore, inconsistent with the continued existence of life resulting in
effacing the right itself. The 'right to die', if any, is inherently inconsistent
B with the 'right to life' as is 'death' with 'life'.

Protagonism of euthanasia on the view that existence in persistent
vegetative state (PVS) is not a benefit to the patient of a terminal ill11ess
being unrelated to the principle of 'sanctity of life' or the 'right to live with
dignity' is of no assistance to determine the scope of Article 21 for deciding
C whether the guarantee of 'right to life' therein includes the 'right to die'.
The 'right to life' including the right to live with human dignity would mean
the existence of such a right upto the end of natural life. This also includes
the right to a dignified life upto the point of death including a dignified
procedure of death. In other words, this may include the right of a dying
D man to also die with dignity when his life is ebbing out. But the 'right to
die' with dignity at the end of life is not to be confused or equated with
the 'right to die' an unnatural death curtailing the natural span of life_

A question may arise, in the context of a dying man, who is, terminal- '
ly ill or in a persistent vegetative state that he may be permitted to
E terminate it by a premature extinction of his life in those circumstances.
This category of cases may fall within the ambit of the 'right to die' with
dignity as a part of right to live with dignity, when death due to termination
of natural life is certain and imminent and the process of natural death has
commenced. These are not cases of extinguishing life but only of accelerat-
F ing conclusion of the process of natural death which has already com-
menced. The debate even in such cases to permit physician assisted >
termination of life is inconclusive. It is sufficient to reiterate that the ·
argument to support the view of permitting termination of life in such cases
to reduce the period of suffering during the process of certain natural
death is not available to interpret Article 21 to include therein the right lo
G curtail the natural span of life.

We are, therefore, unable to concur with the interpretation of Article
21 made in P. Rathinam. The only reason for which Section 309 is held to
be violative of Artide 21 in P. Rathinam does not withstand legal scrutiny.
H We are unable to hold that Section 309 l.P.C. is violative of Article 21.
G. KAUR v. STATE [VERMA, J.] 713

The only surviving question for consideration now is whether Section A
309 IPC is violative of Article 14, to support the conclusion reached in P.
Rathinam.

The basis of the decision in P. Rathinam, discussed above, was not
supported by any of the learned counsel except Shri B.S. Malik. On the
basis of the decision in P. Rathinam it was urged that Section 306 also is B
violative of Article 21, as mentioned earlier. On the view we have taken
that Article 21 does not include the 'right to die' as held in P. Rathinam,
the first argument to challenge the constitutional validity of Section 306,
IPC also on that basis fails, and is rejected.
)/
Article 14 - Is it violated by Section 309, l.P.C.?
c
We would now consider the constitutional validity of Section 309 with
reference to Article 14 of the Constitution. In substance, the argument of
Shri Ujagar Singh, Shri B.S. Malik and Shri Soli J. Sobrajee on this point
is that it is a monstrous and barbaric provision which violates the equality D
clause being discriminatory and arbitrary. It was contended that attempted
suicide i.s not punishable in any other civilized society ·and there is a strong
opinion against the retention of such a penal provision which led the Law
Commission of India also to recommend its deletion. Shri Sorabjee con-
tended that the wide amplitude of Article 14 together with the right to live E
with dignity included in Article 21, renders Section 309 unconstitutional. It
is in this manner, invoking Article 21 limited to life with dignity (not
including therein the 'right to die') that Shri Sorabjee refers to Article 21
along with Article 14 to assail the validity of Section 309, !PC. The
conclusion reached in P. Rathinam is supported on this ground.
' F
We have formed the opinion that there is no merit in the challenge
based even on Article 14 of the Constitution. The contention based on
Article 14 was rejected in P. Rathinam also. It was held therein as under :

"The Bombay High Court held Section 309 as violation of Article
14 also mainly because of two reasons. First, which act or acts in G
series of acts will constitute attempt to suicide, where to draw the
.... -.;.' line, is not known - some attempts may be serious while others
non-serious. It was stated that in fact philosophers, moralists and
sociologists were not agreed upon what constituted suicide. The
want of plausible definition or even guidelines, made Section 309 H
I

t
714 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996] 3 S.C.R.

A arbitrary as per the learned Judges. Another reason given was that
Section 309 treats all attempts to commit suicide by the same
measure without referring to the circumstances in which attempts
are made.

The fi1st of the aforesaid reasons is not sound, according to us,
B because whatever differences there may be as to what constitutes
suicide, there is no doubt that suicide is intentional taking of one's
life, as stated at p. 1521 of Encyclopaedia of Crime and Justice, Vol.
IV, 1983 Edn. Of course, there still exists difference among suicide
researchers as to what constitutes suicidal behaviour, for example,
c whether narcotic addiction, chronic alcoholism, heavy cigarette
smoking, reckless driving, other risk-taking behaviours, are suicidal
or not. It may also be that different methods are adopted for
committing suicide, for example, use of firearm, poisoning espe-
cially by drugs, overdoses, hanging, inhalation of gas. Even so,
suicide is capable of a broad definition, as has been given in the
D aforesaid Webster's Dictionary. Further, on a prosecution being
launched it is always open to an accused to take the plea that his
act did not constitute suicide whereupon the court would decide
this aspect also.

E Insofar as treating of different attempts to commit suicide by the
same measure is concemed, the same also cannot be regarded as
violative of Article 14, inasmuch as the nature, gravity and extent of
attempt may be taken care of by tailoring the sentmce appropriately.
It is worth pointing out that Section 309 has only provided the
maximum sentence which is up to one year. It provides for imposition
F of fine only as a punishment. It is this aspect which weighed with the
Division Bench of Andhra Pradesh High Court in its aforesaid
decision to disagree with the Bombay view by stating that in certain
cases even Probation of Offenders Act can be pressed into service,
whose Section 12 enables the court to ensure that no stigma or
G disqualification is attached to such a person.

We agree with the view taken by the Andhra Pradesh High Court
as regards Section 309 qua Article 14." .,.·-"

(Page 405)
H (emphasis supplied)
G. KAUR v. STATE [VERMA, J .] 715

With respect , we are in agreement with the view so taken qua Article 14, A
in P. Rath in am.

We have already stated that the debate on the desirability of retaining
such a penal provision of punishing attempted suicide, including the recom-
mendation for its deletion by the Law Commission are not sufficient to
indicate that the provision is unconstitutional being violative of Article 14. B
Even if those facts are to weigh, the severity of the provision is mitigated
by the wide discretion in the matter of sentencing since there is no
requirement of awarding any minimum sentence and the sentence of
imprisonment is not even compulsory. There is also no minimum fine
prescribed as sentence, which alone may be the punishment awarded on C
conviction under Section 309, !PC. This aspect is noticed in P. Rathinam
for holding that Article 14 is not violated.

The reported decisions show that even on conviction under Section
309, IPC, in practice the accused has been dealt with compassion by giving
benefit under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 or Section 562 of the D
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1908 corresponding to Section 360 of the
Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 : Mt. Barakat v. Emperor, AIR (1934) Lah.
514; Emperor v. Dwarka Pooja, 14 Born. L.R. 146; Emperor v. Mt. Dhirajia,
AIR (1940) All. 486; Ram Sunder v. State of Uttar Pradesh, AIR 1962 All.
262; Valentino v. State, AIR 1967 Goa 138; Phulbai v. State of Maharashtra, E
(1976) Cr!. L.J. 1519; Radharani v. State of M.P., AIR (1981) SC 1776 and
Rukhmina Devi v. State of U.P., (1988) Cr!. L.J. 548. The above quoted
discussion in P. Rathinam qua Article 14 is sufficient to reject the challenge
based on Article 14.

. We may briefly refer to the aid of Article 21 sought by Shri Sorabjee F
to buttress the challenge based on Article 14. We have earlier held that
'right to die' is not included in the 'right to life' under Article 21. For the
same reason, 'right to live with human dignity' cannot be construed to
inclnde within its ambit the right to terminate natural life, at least before
commencement of the natural process of certain death. We do not see how G
Article 21 can be pressed into service to support the challenge based on
Article 14. It cannot, therefore, be accepted that Section 309 is violative
either of Article 14 or Article 21 of the Constitution.

It follows that there is no ground to hold that Section 309, !PC is
constitutionally invalid. The contrary view taken in P. Rathinam . on the H
716 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1996) 3 S.C.R.
'
)

A basis of the construction made of Article 21 to include therein the 'right
to die' cannot be accepted by us to be correct. That decision cannot l:>e
supported even on the basis of Article 14. It follows that Section 309, !PC I- -
is not to be treated as unconstitutional for any reason.

Validity of Section 306, /.P.C.
B
The question now is whether Section 306, !PC is unconstitutional
for any other reason. In our opinion, the challenge to the constitutional
validity of Section 309, !PC having been rejected, no serious challenge to
the constitutional validity of Section 306 survives. We have already rejected
C the main challenge based on P. Rathinam on the ground that 'right to die'
is included in Article 21.

It is significant that Section 306 enacts a distinct offence which is
capable of existence independent of Section 309, !PC. Sections 306 and 309
read as under :
D
Section 306 :

"306. Abetment of suicide - If any person commits suicide, whoever
abets the commission of such suicide, shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend
E to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine."

Section 309 :

"309. Attempt to commit suicide - whoever attempts to commit
suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence,
F shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may
extend to one year or with fine, or with both."

Section 306 prescribes punishment for 'abetment of. suicide' while
Section 309 punishes 'attempt to commit suicide'. Abetment of attempt to
commit suicide is outside the purview of Section 306 and it is punishable
G only under Section 309 read with Section 107, !PC. In certain other
jurisdictions, even though attempt to commit suicide is not a penal offence
yet the abettor is made punishable. The.provision there, provides for the "'_.
punishment of abetment of suicide as well as abetment of attempt to
commit suicide. Thus, even where the punishment for attempt to commit
H stticide is not considered desirable, its abetment is made a penal offence.
G. KAUR v. STATE [VERMA, J .] 717

In other words assisted suicide and assisted attempt to commit suicide are A
made puni~hable for cogent reasons in the interest of society. Such a
provision is considered desirable to also prevent the danger inherent in the
absence of such a penal provision. The arguments which are advanced to
support the plea for not punishing the person who attempts to commit
suicide do not avail for the benefit of another person assisting in the B
commis.ion of suicide or in its attempt. This plea was strongly advanced
by the learned Attorney General as well as the amicus curiae Shri Nariman
and Shri Sorabjee. We find great force in the submission.

The abettor is viewed differently, inasmuch as he abets the extin-
guishment of life of another person, and punishment of abetment is con- C
sidered necessary to prevent abuse of the absence of such a penal
provision. The Suicide Act, 1961 in the English Law contains the relevant
provision as under :

"l. Suicide to cease to be a crime
D
The rule of law whereby it is a crime for a person to commit suicide
is hereby abrogated.

NOTE

Suicide : "Pelo de se or suicide is, where a man of the age of E
discretion, and compos men tis voluntarily kills himself by stabbing,
poison or any other way" and was a felony" at common law : see 1
Hale PC 411-419. This section abrogates that rule of law, but, by
virtue of s.2(1) pos4 a person who aids, abets, counsels or procures
the suicide or attempted suicide of another is guilty of a statutory
offence. F

The requirement that satisfactory evidence of suicidal intent is
always necessary to establish suicide as a cause of death is not
altered by the passing of this Act : See R. v. Cardiff Coroner, exp
Thomas, [1970) 3 All ER 469, [1970) 1 WLR 1475. G
2. Criminal iiability for complicity in another's suicide.

( 1) A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of
another, or an attempt by another to commit suicide, sliall be liable
on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not ex- H
'
j
718 SUPREMECOURTREPORTS [1996] 3 S.C.R.

A ceeding fourteen years."

(emphasis supplied)

This distinction is well recognised and is brought out in certain
decisions of other countries. The Supreme Court of Canada in Rodriguez
B v. B.C. (A.-G.) 107 D.L.R. (4th Series) 342, states as under:

"Sanctity of life, as we will see, has been understood hlstorically
as excluding freedom of choice in the self-infliction of death and
certainly in the involvement of others in carrying out that choice.
At the very least, no new consensus has emerged in society oppos-
c ing the right of the state to regulate the involvement of others in
exercising power over individuals ending their lives."

(at page 389)

D Airedale N.HA. Trust v. Bland, (1993) 2 W.L.R. 316 (H.L.), was a
case relating to withdrawal of artificial measures for continuance of life by
a physician. Even though it is not necessary to deal with physician assisted
suicide or euthanasia cases, a brief reference to this decision cited at the
Bar may be made. In the context of existence in the persistent vegetative
E state of no benefit to the patient, the principle of sanctity of life, which it +
is the concern of the State, was stated to be not an absolute one. In such
cases also, the existing crucial distinction between cases in which a
physician decides not to provide, or to continue to provide, for his patient,
treatment or care which could or might prolong his life, and those in whlch
he decides, for example, by administering a lethal drug, actively to bring
F his patient's life to an end, was indicated and it was then stated as under:

"......... But it is not lawful for a doctor to administer a drug to
hls patient to bring about his death, even though that course is
prompted by a humanitarian desire to end hls suffering, however
great that suffering may be : See Reg v. Cox, (unreported), 18
G September, (1992). So to act is to cross the Rubicon which runs
between on the one hand the care of the living patient and on the
other hand euthanasia - actively causing his death to avoid or to
end hls suffering. Euthanasia is not lawful at common law. It is of
course well known that there are many responsible members of our
H society who believe that euthanasia should be made lawful; but that
G.KAURv. STATE[VERMA,J.] 719

result could, I believe, only be achieved by legislation which e;.presses A
the democratic will that so fundamental a change should be made
in our law, and can, if enacted, ensure that such legalised killing can
only be carried out subject to appropriate supervision and control.

(emphasis supplied) B
(at page 368)

The desirability of bringing about a change was considered to be the
function of the legislature by enacting a suitable law providing therein
adequate safeguards to prevent any possible abuse. C
The decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit in Compassion in Dying v. State of Washington, 49 F.3d 586, which
. reversed the decision of United States District Court, W.D. Washington
reported in 850 Federal Supplement 1454, has also relevance. The constitu-
tional validity of the State statute that banned physician assisted suicide by D
mentally competent, terminally ill adults was in question. The District
Court held unconstitutional the provision punishing for promoting a suicide
attempt. On appeal, that jndgment was reversed and the constitutional
validity of the provision was upheld ..

This caution even in cases of physician assisted suicide is sufficient E
to indicate that assisted suicides outside that category have no rational
basis to claim exclusion of the fundamental principle of sanctity of life. The
reasons assigned for attacking a provision which penalises . attempted
suicide are not available t0, the abettor of suicide or attempted suicide.
Abetment of suicide or attempted suicide is a distinct offence which is F
found enacted even in the law of the countries where attempted suicide is
not made punishable. Section 3061.P.C. enacts a distinct offence which can
survive independent of Section 309 in the l.P.C. The learned Attorney
General as well as both the learned amicus curiae rightly supported the
constitutional validity of Section 306 l.P.C.
G
The Bombay High Court in Naresh Marotrao Sakhre and Another v.
Union of India and Others, (1995) Cr!. LJ. 96, considered the question of
validity of Section 306 I.P.C. and upheld the same. No decision holding
Section 306 I.P.C. to be unconstitutional has been cited before us. We find
no reason to hold either Section 309 or Section 306 l.P.C. to be unconstitu- H
J
720 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1996] 3 S.C.R.

A tional.
For the reasons we have given, the decisions of the Bombay High
Court in Ma111ti Sl11ipati Dubai v. State of Maharashtra, (1987) Cr!. L.J 743,
and of a Division Bench of this Court in P. Rathinam v. Union of India and
Anr., (1994) 3 SCC 394, wherein Section 309 l.P.C. has been held to be
B unconstitutional, are not correct. The conclusion of the Andhra Pradesh
High Court in Chenna Jagadeeswar and Another v. State of Andhra Pradesh,
{1988) Crl. L.J. 549, that Section 309 I.P.C. is not violative of either Article
14 or Article 21 of the Constitution is approved for the reasons given
herein. The questions of constitutional validity of Sections 306 and 309
C I.P.C. are decided accordingly, by holding that neither of the two provisions
is constitutionally invalid.

These appeals would now be listed before the appropriate Division
Bench for their decision on merits in accordance with law treating Sections
306 and 309 I.P.C. to be constitutionally valid.
D
T.N.A. Appeals disposed of.