SC pulls up Centre, says govt not serious about acid attacks
11 July 2013 5:12 AM IST
The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the central government on the issue of framing a policy to curb the sale of acid to prevent acid attack cases. The court said seriousness is not seen on the part of government in handling the issue.
A bench headed by Justice R M Lodha said that people are dying everyday due to acid attacks but the central government has failed to frame a policy despite assurance given by it on the last hearing on 16 April.
The court granted time of one week as a last opportunity to the central government to frame policy in consultation with state governments. The court said that if the central government fails to come out with such a scheme on the next date of hearing, 16 July, then it would pass orders.
On 16 April, the Supreme Court had said it will wait for the central government and the state governments to explore ways to regulate sale of acids for domestic use before it imposes a ban on the chemical.
‘Tragic incidents of acid attacks continue to happen. One of the main reasons for this is easy availability of acid in retail across the counter. The matter has been pending before this Court for the last seven years. But, neither the Central Government nor the State Governments/ Union Territories have been able to address this grave issue,’ the court had said.
Earlier, on 6 February, the court, concerned over acid being used as a weapon, particularly against women by their jilted lovers, had directed the central government to convene in six weeks a meeting of chief secretaries of all states and Union Territories to hold discussion for enacting a law to regulate the sale of acids and a policy for treatment, compensation and care and rehabilitation of such victims.
The court is hearing a PIL filed in 2006 by Delhi-based victim Laxmi who was then a minor. Her arms, face and other body parts were disfigured in an acid attack. Laxmi’s arms, face and other body parts were disfigured in an acid attack. She had faced the acid attack by three men near Tughlaq Road after she had refused to marry one of the persons.
Laxmi had sought framing of a new law or amendment in the existing criminal laws like IPC, Indian Evidence Act and the CrPC for dealing with the offence and had also sought compensation. Laxmi’s counsel had pleaded for a total ban of sale of acid as there were increasing number of incidents of such attacks on women in different states. The counsel had submitted that even a small country like Bangladesh had banned the use of acid to prevent such attacks. On 2 July, 2012, the apex court had asked the Centre to apprise it of the measures to regulate the sale of acid to prevent its misuse as a weapon, particularly against women.
A bench headed by Justice R M Lodha said that people are dying everyday due to acid attacks but the central government has failed to frame a policy despite assurance given by it on the last hearing on 16 April.
The court granted time of one week as a last opportunity to the central government to frame policy in consultation with state governments. The court said that if the central government fails to come out with such a scheme on the next date of hearing, 16 July, then it would pass orders.
On 16 April, the Supreme Court had said it will wait for the central government and the state governments to explore ways to regulate sale of acids for domestic use before it imposes a ban on the chemical.
‘Tragic incidents of acid attacks continue to happen. One of the main reasons for this is easy availability of acid in retail across the counter. The matter has been pending before this Court for the last seven years. But, neither the Central Government nor the State Governments/ Union Territories have been able to address this grave issue,’ the court had said.
Earlier, on 6 February, the court, concerned over acid being used as a weapon, particularly against women by their jilted lovers, had directed the central government to convene in six weeks a meeting of chief secretaries of all states and Union Territories to hold discussion for enacting a law to regulate the sale of acids and a policy for treatment, compensation and care and rehabilitation of such victims.
The court is hearing a PIL filed in 2006 by Delhi-based victim Laxmi who was then a minor. Her arms, face and other body parts were disfigured in an acid attack. Laxmi’s arms, face and other body parts were disfigured in an acid attack. She had faced the acid attack by three men near Tughlaq Road after she had refused to marry one of the persons.
Laxmi had sought framing of a new law or amendment in the existing criminal laws like IPC, Indian Evidence Act and the CrPC for dealing with the offence and had also sought compensation. Laxmi’s counsel had pleaded for a total ban of sale of acid as there were increasing number of incidents of such attacks on women in different states. The counsel had submitted that even a small country like Bangladesh had banned the use of acid to prevent such attacks. On 2 July, 2012, the apex court had asked the Centre to apprise it of the measures to regulate the sale of acid to prevent its misuse as a weapon, particularly against women.
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