Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike Case Decoded | Article 19 vs Article 21
Can the government decide your medical treatment if you're on a hunger strike? Does the Right to Life under Article 21 outweigh the Right to Protest under Article 19? In this episode of Weekly Verdict, NDTV breaks down the Delhi High Court's ruling in the Sonam Wangchuk hunger strike case. We explain why the single-judge bench upheld the State's intervention, why the Division Bench later allowed Wangchuk to shift to a private hospital of his choice, and how the courts balanced the competing constitutional rights involved. The episode also examines landmark legal precedents, including the Irom Sharmila hunger strike, the Jagjit Singh Dallewal farmers' protest case, and the Baba Ramdev Ramlila Maidan case, to understand how Indian courts have approached hunger strikes, bodily autonomy, and the State's duty to protect life. We also explain the legal changes from IPC Section 309 to Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 226, and what they mean for hunger strikes today.
