75 living wills seek passive euthanasia in Mumbai, numbers expected to rise
Mumbai: Mumbai’s civic body has received 75 notarised living wills from individuals seeking passive euthanasia in the event of irreversible coma or terminal illness, following a recent court-approved case that renewed focus on end-of-life decisions.
Officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were quoted by Madhyamam as saying that the documents have been submitted in accordance with the legal position permitting passive euthanasia but added that there are no detailed operational guidelines for implementation.
Applicants have specified that life support may be withdrawn if they are left with no prospect of recovery due to serious illness or accident. The civic body is maintaining the documents in safe custody.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde was quoted by Madyamam, that while the corporation is authorised to hold such letters, it does not have the mandate to execute them. “Any patient who submits an euthanasia letter, we keep it safely, but its implementation is the responsibility of the family. The court has allowed us to hold these letters, but we cannot execute them ourselves,” she said.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling legalising passive euthanasia under certain conditions, ward-level medical officers have been tasked with monitoring submissions. Maharashtra authorities are also considering the creation of an online portal to streamline the filing process.
The recent surge in living wills comes after the death of 31-year-old Harish Rana at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. Rana had remained in a coma since 2013 after falling from the fourth floor of a building while he was an engineering student. His parents approached the court and obtained permission to withdraw life support.
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Sameer Ahmed elected President of SKMWA Muscat for 2026–2027
Muscat: Sameer Ahmed, a native of Udupi and currently employed in a private company in Muscat, has been elected President of the South Kanara Muslim Welfare Association (SKMWA), Muscat, for the 2026–2027 term.
The election was conducted during the association’s Annual General Body Meeting held at Al Reef Hotel, Muscat, in the presence of chief guests Adil Shaikh, Monabba, Shareef, and Sahebzada Mehmood.
The newly elected office bearers include Vice Presidents Mohd Arif (Udupi) and Niyaz Mohammed (Mangalore), General Secretary Jaseem Basha (Kundapura), Joint Secretaries Rizwan Ali (Udupi) and Zaheer Hussain (Moodbidri), Treasurer Tajuddin Sheikh (Tonse), Assistant Treasurer Irfan Ahmed (Udyavara), Finance Secretary Mohammed Asif Gafur (Karkala), Assistant Finance Secretary Mohammed Akif Gafoor (Karkala), and Auditor Ashraf Ali (Kaup).
The Core Committee includes Event Coordinators Ansar Katipalla and Adil Moodbidri, and Sports Coordinators Ashpak Basrur and Muneer Ahmed (Sastan).
The programme commenced with a recitation from the Holy Quran by Zaid Asif. The Annual Activity Report for 2025 was presented by Sameer Ahmed, while the financial report was delivered by Mohammed Asif Gafoor and verified by Auditor Ashraf Ali.
Former president Azim was felicitated by Syed Mohiddin Saheb during the event.
The meeting concluded with an address by the newly elected president, followed by a vote of thanks proposed by General Secretary Jaseem Basha. The programme was coordinated by Syed Mohiddin Saheb (Sastan) and Ansar Katipalla.
