• The government has decided to decriminalise “attempt to suicide” by deleting Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code from the statute book — a move that has been welcomed by majority of Constitutional experts.
• People with suicidal tendencies need counseling, not punishment. Making suicide ‘illegal’ proved counterproductive because criminalization of the act prevented a person with a suicidal tendency from seeking proper treatment after attempting suicide.
• Under Section 309 of the IPC, an attempt to suicide can attract punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine.

LAW COMMISSION HAD RECOMMENDED IT:

• The Law Commission had recommended that Section 309 (attempt to commit suicide) of the IPC needs to be effaced from the statute book
• As law and order is a state subject, views of States/UTs were requested on the recommendation of the Law Commission
• As many as 18 states and 4 UTs supported the Law panel’s recommendation.