Correct option is A
The correct answer is (a) Right to write a living will.
Explanation:
While the Supreme Court has expanded Article 21 to include many rights, the "Right to write a living will" is the most recent substantive addition in terms of specific conceptual evolution regarding bodily autonomy.
- Timeline of Recognition: The concept was first established in Common Cause v. Union of India (2018), where the Court ruled that the "Right to life with dignity" includes the right to a dignified death.
- Recent Legal Updates: In January 2023, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court modified and simplified the 2018 guidelines. The Court made it significantly easier for citizens to execute living wills by removing the requirement for a Judicial Magistrate's countersignature, allowing a Notary or Gazetted Officer to attest the document instead.
- Distinction from Internet Rights: While the Anuradha Bhasin (2020) case is recent, the Court primarily linked internet access to Article 19 (Freedom of Speech and Business), whereas the Living Will is a direct, high-profile expansion of the "Life" and "Liberty" aspects of Article 21.
Information Booster:
- Definition: A Living Will is an Advance Medical Directive. It is a written document that allows a patient to give explicit instructions in advance about the medical treatment they wish to receive (or refuse) if they become terminally ill or unconscious.
- Legal Standing: It ensures that a person's right to refuse medical treatment is respected even when they lose the capacity to communicate.
- The "Living" Constitution: Article 21 is known as the "residuary" fundamental right because the Supreme Court constantly adds new rights to it as society evolves.
Additional Knowledge:
| Right | Key Case | Year | Key Detail |
| Right to Privacy | K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India | 2017 | Established privacy as a fundamental right for the first time in Indian history. |
| Right to Internet | Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India | 2020 | Defined internet access as a medium to exercise the fundamental right to free speech (Art 19). |
| Right to Reputation | Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India | 2016 | Upheld criminal defamation, stating reputation is a part of Article 21. |
| Right to Sleep | In Re Ramlila Maidan Incident | 2012 | The Court held that a person has a right to sleep as it is essential for health. |
English
100 Questions
100 Marks
60 Mins
