The Delhi High Court ordered authorities to provide daily medical examinations to activist Sonam Wangchuk during his indefinite hunger strike.
The ruling comes as Wangchuk's health reaches a critical point, prompting judicial intervention to prevent a potential death during a high-profile political protest.
The court's order follows a petition warning that the 59-year-old activist [1] might not survive the next 48 hours without immediate medical intervention [1]. The court said the central government must take all necessary steps to preserve his life, emphasizing that his life is precious [2].
Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike for 19 days [2]. The protest is directed against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The court's decision to mandate regular health monitoring aims to balance the activist's right to protest with the state's obligation to protect human life. This legal mandate requires the government to ensure that medical professionals conduct daily checks to monitor the physical toll of the fast.
Authorities must now implement these health protocols to ensure the activist remains stable while his protest continues. The intervention highlights the urgency of the situation, as the legal system stepped in to mitigate the risk of death associated with the prolonged fast.
“The Delhi High Court ordered authorities to provide daily medical examinations to activist Sonam Wangchuk.”
This judicial intervention reflects the tension between individual political expression and the state's duty of care. By ordering daily medical monitoring, the Delhi High Court is attempting to prevent a humanitarian crisis that could escalate political tensions, effectively placing a legal safeguard on a protest that has reached a life-threatening stage.