New Delhi, Nov. 27 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Noida district hospital to constitute a "primary board of doctors" to examine a father's plea seeking passive euthanasia for his 31-year-old son, who lives with 100% disability and remains in a permanent vegetative state for the past 12 years.

A bench headed by justice JB Pardiwala directed the district hospital in Sector 39, Noida, to submit a medical assessment within two weeks, in a sealed cover. "We direct the Primary Board that may be constituted (by the hospital) to give us a report whether the life sustaining treatment can be withheld or in other words withdrawn," the court said, defining the inquiry around the withdrawal of life-support. The matter will be next heard ...