Delhi HC dismisses plea to regularise acid sale

The Delhi High Court Wednesday dismissed a PIL seeking directions to the central and Delhi governments to regularise the sale of acid and form a concrete policy to rehabilitate the acid attack victims.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw refused to entertain the plea, saying the Supreme Court was already seized of the matter.

The court also took in note of the submissions of Delhi government standing counsel Zubeda Begum that the government has already made a policy for rehabilitation of acid attack victims.

The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by NGO Chhanv Foundation, working for the wellbeing of acid attacks survivors. It said the government has failed to implement the Supreme Court's July 18, 2013, order on illegal sale of acid in the capital.

Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal appearing for the NGO told the court that the Supreme Court had issued various directions to the government to curb the acid attack menace. However, despite the directions, the national capital has noticed several acid attacks recently.

The bench said as the apex court has been monitoring the case and passing directions, this court cannot entertain the plea.

Recently two incidents of acid attack have occurred in Delhi. These clearly show the failure of the central and state governments to regularise the sale of the acid in markets here, the plea said.

It added: "The Centre and the state government have failed to frame any guideline for the commercial sector to check misuse of acid. As per the Supreme Court order, the guidelines should have been framed to check the misuse of acid in private and government establishments, which have to store it for commercial purposes."

-- Indo-Asian News Service

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