8.2.11. Supreme Court’s Ruling on Acid Sale

In July, 2013 the Supreme Court issued detailed directions to all State governments and Union Territories to frame rules within three months for regulating the sale of acid. In December, 2013 the Supreme Court gave another four-month time to the States and Union Territories to frame rules for regulating the sale of acid. A Bench headed by Justice R M Lodha also asked all Chief Secretaries to file a response on providing free-of-cost treatment, including plastic surgery, to acid attack victims.

It directed that whenever an FIR is lodged in an acid attack case, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of the area concerned will hold inquiry into the procurement of acid by the "wrongdoer". Taking the Haryana government schemes as model, the SC asks the government to respond why they should not bear cost of corrective plastic surgery required by acid attack victims and follow up psychiatric treatment to enable the victim to recover from the horrific experience.

The SC also asked the police to inform the concerned SDM immediately about an acid attack case so that he could inquire how the corrosive substance was procured.