Give details of money received under Nirbhaya Fund: SC to states, UTs

Sought responses within four weeks on receipt and disbursal of funds, rued the fact that they do not respond

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked all states and Union Territories (UTs) to come out with details of the money they have received from the Centre under the Nirbhaya fund scheme and the amounts disbursed as compensation to the victims of sexual assaults and acid attacks.

A Bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta, while asking all the states and UTs to file their responses within four weeks on receipt and disbursal of funds, rued the fact that they do not respond.

"Let me tell you (senior advocate Indira Jaising who is assisting the Bench as an amicus curiae), they do not (respond)," the Bench said, when Jaising submitted that states are under obligation to respond and should be asked to give details of the funds received and disbursed under the Nirbhaya scheme. The Nirbhaya Fund scheme was announced by the Centre in 2013 after the sensational December 16, 2012 gang-rape and murder case in Delhi to support the initiatives of the governments and the NGOs working towards safety of women.

Meanwhile, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), represented by its Director S S Rathi, informed the court that it has prepared a draft Model Rules for Victim Compensation for sexual offences and acid attacks in pursuance of the earlier direction and would submit it later.

The NALSA Director said the procedures and the mode adopted in Delhi in awarding compensation to victims of sexual assaults and acid attacks have been considered while preparing the draft model rules.