In a country where suicides have emerged as the second highest cause of deaths, the government’s move to delete the legal statute that criminalises suicide attempt is a welcome step. There has been a debate on in the country since 1981 for removing the old and outdated statute which has not served the society in any way. At a time when society is evolving into its new form and legal perspectives are changing such a move is surely a step in the right direction. If the right to live the way one wants is no crime so should be the case to end it also. Though suicide does not end the malady but it aggravates for the family which has suffered the loss. But to stop it to happen legally is somewhat against the natural justice. What is needed is compassion and emotional support to the family and victim. Even Law Commission has time to time argued in favour of removing the outdated laws, saying in 2008 that people who try and take their lives need compassion and emotional support. Only a social change has to be taken sportingly and decriminalisation would make it much easier for extending support in reducing suicides. There have been occasional voices in the society for liberalising the laws and supporting the move so that one is free to decide his or her destiny and Constitution does provide the privilege of right to life and liberty. France was the first country to decriminalise attempted suicide after the French Revolution. All European and North American countries subsequently followed suit and India is now catching up. But that’s only relatively speaking, because in another sense India’s been here much before. Many Indic religions, such as Jainism and Hinduism, have ancient traditions of voluntary ending of one’s life when it is seen as having served its purpose. Now that this outdated relic of colonial law has been removed, government must go ahead and proactively remove other laws which get in the way of people’s lives.
