Seventynine-year-old Pavunni of Thrissur is firm in his decision to donate his organs after death. This, even as his wife and five children opposed the decision from day one.
So, the septuagenarian is now taking the legal route to fulfil his wish.
An ex-service man living in Kurumbilavu in Thrissur district, Pavunni approached the high court here on Monday, seeking its support for his plan for cadaver donation.
Pavunni said he feared his wife and children (two officers in Army and another a senior bank officer ) would not hand over the body to a hospital whenever he died. He had given his consent while joining the government’s Mruthasanjeevani organ donation project on September 9
this year.
He submitted before the court that he "has the legal right to invokethe special provision in Article 21 of the Constitution which grants one the right to fulfill one's wish".
The Transplantation of Human organs Act, 1994, enabled an organ donate to authorise removal of any human organ for therapeutic purpose, hesaid, adding, he had authorized Thrissur Jubilee Mission Hospital for removal of his organs after death.
However, he pointed out, his wish would be realized only if his wifeand children, the lawful possessors of the body, allowed the hospital to execute his wish.