Invoking of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 For Natural Gas Allocation | SC Permits Withdrawal of Life Support in India’s First Passive Euthanasia Case | Supreme Court Reiterates Support for Uniform Civil Code

Invoking of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 For Natural Gas Allocation

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance; GS3/ Economy

Context

• Recently, the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) invoked the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 by notifying the Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026 amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia and disruptions in LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Key Points in Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026
• Establishment of a four-tier priority system for gas allocation: Based on the average consumption of gas from the past six-month.
• Gas redistribution: Lower-priority users like petrochemicals & power plants face cuts to support higher ones.
• Pooled Mechanism: Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell (PPAC) notifies pooled prices for gas diverted from non-priority to priority sectors, ensuring standardized pricing during shortages.
• Priority sector entities must accept these pooled prices and waive litigation rights over force majeure or supply adjustments.
• natural gas allocation
• Reasons for Gas Rationing
• Disruption of LNG Imports: The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy transit route connecting the Persian Gulf to international markets. Conflict in the region has disrupted LNG shipments.
• Around one-third of India’s LNG imports have been affected.
• India’s Dependence on Imported Natural Gas: India’s natural gas demand continues to rise while domestic production remains limited.
• Key Statistics:
• Total gas consumption (2024–25): 71.3 billion cubic metres (BCM);
• Import dependency: about 50%;
• Major LNG suppliers: Qatar, United States, Russia, Australia;
• High import dependence exposes economies to geopolitical shocks and price volatility.
• About Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955
•  
• It aims to regulate the production, supply, distribution, and pricing of essential commodities to ensure their availability at fair prices and prevent hoarding, black-marketing, and profiteering during shortages or emergencies.
• It empowers the Central Government(and in some cases state governments)to intervene in markets when necessary to protect consumer interests and maintain food and energy security.
• Commodities Covered Under the Act
•  
• The central government can declare certain goods as ‘essential commodities’.
• Common examples include food grains (rice, wheat, pulses); edible oils, sugar, petroleum and petroleum products, fertilisers, drugs, LPG and natural gas.
• The government can add or remove commodities from the list depending on national requirements.
• Key Changes in 2020 (During Covid-19)
•  
• The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 introduced major reforms to liberalise agricultural markets.
• It aims to encourage private investment in storage, cold chains, and supply infrastructure.
• Removal of Several Agricultural Commodities from the List: Certain items were deregulated except in extraordinary circumstances.
• It includes cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onions, and potatoes.
• Stock Limits Only in Extraordinary Situations: The government can impose stock limits only under exceptional conditions, such as war, famine, extraordinary price rise, and natural calamities.
• Price Trigger for Stock Limits: Stock limits can be imposed only if prices increase significantly:
• 100% increase in price of horticultural produce;
• 50% increase in price of non-perishable food items;
• Exemption for Value Chain Participants: Stock limits do not apply to processors or exporters if stocks are within their production or export requirements.

SC Permits Withdrawal of Life Support in India’s First Passive Euthanasia Case

Syllabus: GS2/Polity; Health

Context

• The Supreme Court practically applied the principles of passive euthanasia for the first time by permitting the withdrawal of clinically-assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH) to 32-year-old Harish Rana.

About

• The court laid down that:
• withdrawal of life support must be in the “best interests” of the patient and guiding factors include whether life support provided to the patient qualify as medical treatment;
• whether medicines have any therapeutic benefit, but only works to prolong life, pain and suffering for the patient;
• and whether it would be in the best interest of the patient to artificially prolong life.
• The court said the patient must be looked after in a sensitive manner with concerns for his or her dignity given foremost importance.
• The judgment decisively draws the boundaries on when to allow natural death to take over.
• The bench noted that there is no comprehensive legislation addressing end-of-life care in the country and urged the Centre to enact a law in this regard.

Euthanasia

• Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a person’s life to eliminate pain or suffering
• Ethicists differentiate between active and passive euthanasia.
• Passive euthanasia entails the deliberate decision to withhold or withdraw medical interventions, like life support, with the aim of permitting a person’s natural death.
• Active Euthanasia is the intentional act of killing a terminally ill patient on voluntary request, by the direct intervention of a doctor for the purpose of the good of the patient. It is illegal in India.

Legal Stance

• The Supreme Court had in 2018 legalised passive euthanasia, contingent upon the person having a “living will”.
• SC held that the ‘right to die with dignity’ forms a part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
• A living will is a written document that specifies the actions to be taken if the person is unable to make their own medical decisions in the future.

Arguments in Favour of Assisted Dying

• Autonomy and Choice: Individuals should have the right to make decisions about their own lives, including the choice to end it to avoid prolonged suffering.
• Relief from Suffering: Assisted dying provides a compassionate option for those with terminal illnesses or unbearable pain, allowing them to die with dignity.
• Respect for Individual Rights: People should have control over their bodies and lives, including the decision to end their life in a humane and controlled manner.

Arguments Against Assisted Dying

• Moral and Ethical Concerns: Many believe that taking a life, even at the person’s request, is morally wrong and goes against the sanctity of life.
• Risk of Abuse: Vulnerable individuals, such as those with mental health issues or pressure from family, may be coerced into choosing assisted dying.
• Medical Ethics: Healthcare professionals are traditionally bound to preserve life, and assisted dying may conflict with the fundamental role of doctors in healing and care.
• Alternative Solutions: There are arguments that palliative care and pain management can provide relief, making assisted dying unnecessary.

Way Ahead

• Palliative Care Expansion: Improving access to high-quality palliative care to address suffering and reduce the demand for assisted dying.
• Public Debate: Ongoing discussions about the moral, legal, and ethical implications of assisted dying, can be considered while framing the guidelines.
• International Perspective: Countries may look to those with legal assisted dying frameworks (e.g., the Netherlands, Canada) for guidance on effective regulation and safeguards.
• Mental Health Support: Providing psychological evaluations to prevent coercion or impulsive decisions and ensure informed consent is given.

Supreme Court Reiterates Support for Uniform Civil Code

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance

Context

• The Supreme Court of India reiterated its support for a Uniform Civil Code, observing that a common civil law framework would help address complexities arising from multiple personal laws governing marriage, divorce, and succession across communities.

Supreme Court’s Observations

• The petition before the court challenges provisions of the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, arguing that it discriminates against Muslim women in matters such as inheritance.
• The Court stated that striking down personal law provisions may create a legal vacuum regarding inheritance rules.
• It emphasised that a Uniform Civil Code would provide a clearer and more comprehensive solution to ensure equality in personal laws, which requires legislative action, not only judicial decisions.

What is Uniform Civil Code (UCC)?

• A Uniform Civil Code refers to the provision of one law for the entire country, applicable to all religious communities, in their personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, etc.
• Aim: To replace the existing diverse personal laws that vary based on religious affiliations.

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 44 contained in part IV of the Constitution says that the state “shall endeavor to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India”.
• Part IV of the Constitution outlines the Directive Principles of State Policy, which, while not enforceable or justiciable in a court of law, are fundamental to the country’s governance.

UCC in India

• UCC in Goa: It follows the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867, which means that people of all religions in Goa are subject to the same laws on marriage, divorce, and succession.
• The Goa Daman and Diu Administration Act of 1962, which was passed after Goa joined the union as a territory in 1961, gave Goa permission to apply the Civil Code.
• In 2024, The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly passed The Uniform Civil Code of Uttarakhand Act, 2024, becoming the first Indian State to adopt a UCC post-independence.

Arguments in favor of UCC

• Uniformity in Governance: Having a common set of laws would streamline governance and administrative processes, making it easier for the state to administer justice and ensure the rights of its citizens.
• Women’s Rights: Personal laws in different religions have discriminatory provisions, particularly against women, and a uniform code will provide a more egalitarian legal framework.
• Secularism: A Uniform Civil Code is seen as a way to reinforce the secular fabric of the country by treating all citizens equally irrespective of their religious affiliations.
• The Supreme Court in various judgments including Mohd. Ahmed Khan vs Shah Bano Begum judgment of 1985, has called for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.
• Promote national Spirit: The implementation of a UCC will promote the integration of India by establishing a shared platform for diverse communities.

Arguments against UCC

• Issues with implementation: The implementation of the code has been difficult because India is a diverse country with various religious communities following their own personal laws.
• It has been argued that the marriage and death rituals observed by tribal communities differ from Hindu customs, and there is concern that these practices may also face prohibition.
• Challenge for Law and Order: It would be a tyranny to the minority and when implemented could bring a lot of unrest in the country.
• Against Constitutional provisions: UCC is perceived as an infringement upon the constitutional right to freely exercise one’s chosen religion found in Article 25 and 26 and the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution

Way Ahead

• Build broad social consensus: The government should undertake wide consultations with religious leaders, legal experts, civil society groups, and minority communities to ensure that the framework reflects India’s pluralistic character and reduces apprehensions.
• Focus on gender justice: The primary objective should be to remove discriminatory provisions in personal laws, particularly those affecting women in matters of marriage, divorce, maintenance, and inheritance.