SC adjourns plea seeking enhancement of compensation for acid attack victims

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned for four weeks, hearing in a plea seeking direction to the Centre and others for enhancement of compensation and other rehabilitation steps for acid attack victims.

A three-judge bench of the Apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi adjourned the plea filed by advocate Anuja Kapur for four weeks.

During the previous hearing on February 15, the top court bench issued a notice to the Centre and all states seeking their response over the plea filed by Kapur seeking direction for increase of remuneration and immediate jobs, relief, medical infrastructure and other rehabilitation measures to acid attack victims.

The apex court in its 2015 judgment had given a direction to the states to consider acid attack victims in the disabled category for jobs.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there were 200 cases of acid attacks on women in 2016 alone, but NGOs have pegged it around 500-1000 across the country.

The NALSA scheme for the victims, which is binding on the states, mandates Rs 7 lakh compensation in case of disfigurement in acid attack.