Supreme Court stays Rajasthan High Court order declaring ‘Santhara’ illegal

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the order passed by Rajasthan High Court declaring Santhara as illegal. The High Court, in a judgment on August 10, 2015, declared the practice, which involves voluntary fast-unto-death, illegal and an offence punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).“Issue notice. Leave granted,” a Bench comprising Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice Amitava Roy said while staying the HC order and issuing notices to the Centre, Rajasthan and others.The Bench was hearing a batch of petitions filed by various religious bodies of Jain



community members against the High Court order on Santhara. The pleas had sought a stay on the High Court judgment, claiming it was passed without appreciating the basic philosophy and tenets of Jain religion.Santhara is a Jain custom of embracing voluntary death – it involves practitioners taking an oath to stop eating until they die of starvation. According to Jains, this is a way to purge oneself of bad 'karma' and attain ‘moksha’.