6Th NOVICES MOOT COURT COMPETITION

MOOT PROPOSITION

Mr. Shamsher Singh, an 80 yr old is a retired teacher. His family comprises of his wife,
72 yrs of age, his happily married son and daughter, and his school going grand- children,
all of whom according to him are well settled. Mr. Singh is in good mental and physical
state and enjoys music and harmonica. He led a contended life and believes that all his
duties and obligations in life are successfully fulfilled and that he has accomplished his
mission in life.
He now has no desire to live any further, and thinks it is high time he quits this
world. However, as a law abiding citizen, he does not want to commit suicide, but wishes
to voluntarily put an end to life and donate his body organs to aid others in need, the
petitioner, Mr. Singh contends that death is the only certainty in life and hence a person
who thinks that he has lived enough, and is contended in life, should have the freedom to
choose the time and place of his death as well as the manner of the same, he proceeds to
distinguish between Suicide, which is committed by a person frustrated or unsuccessful
in life and the right to voluntarily put an end to one’s life by a person like him, who has
lived a long and fulfilling life and is content by his achievements therein.
Further, the freedom to choose the method of one’s death is a part of the Right to
Life as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, and he feels that the distinction
between “suicide” as commonly understood, and the right to voluntarily terminate one’s
life needs to be considered. Mr. Singh prays before the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High
Court for the issuance of a writ of ‘mandamus, commanding the respondents to facilitate
Voluntary Death Clinics in District Hospitals so as to assist voluntary death and donation
of body organs.

Argue from both the sides.