New Delhi, April 15 -- The Delhi High Court has permitted the retrieval and cryopreservation of sperm of a soldier in a persistent vegetative state, directing authorities not to deny the procedure solely due to the absence of fresh written consent.

The Court held that the soldier's prior consent to undergo In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment would be treated as valid under the law.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, in an order dated April 13, 2026, further directed that the petitioner-wife's consent may be treated as sufficient for carrying forward IVF-related procedures, subject to statutory requirements and the medical condition of the soldier.

The case was filed by the wife of an Indian Army soldier who suffered a severe traumat...