The Maharashtra government is set to launch India's first online living will platform in the next two days, allowing citizens to register Advance Medical Directives (AMDs) or living wills.
The digital platform, which will charge a ₹1,000 fee, will enable citizens to delineate their end-of-life choices and appoint custodians to facilitate the retrieval of data when the wills are required to be executed.
The platform aligns with judicial directions and seeks to institutionalise a transparent, accessible system across urban and rural local bodies.
Citizens can upload their living wills online or register them offline for the same fee, with local bodies directed to appoint custodians responsible for receiving, verifying, recording, and securely maintaining the directives.
The living will system is a major step toward recognising an individual's right to decide their medical treatment in advance, especially in end-of-life scenarios.
It reduces ambiguity for doctors and families, who often face ethical and legal dilemmas in critical care decisions.
