In her petition, Laxmi had pleaded for a total ban on

sale of acid as there were increasing number of incidents of such attacks on women in different states. The petitioner had also submitted that even a small country like Bangladesh had taken measures to prevent such attacks. On July 2, last year, 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. The court had asked the Union Home Ministry on April 29, last year to coordinate with the various states and Union Territories for formulation of an appropriate scheme. The apex court had also sought responses of the Centre and the state governments on whether any suitable scheme can be prepared by them to provide adequate compensation to the victims for their treatment and rehabilitation. The Centre had earlier told the apex court that the report of the Law Commission on the issue was supplied to all parties concerned and the National Commission for Women had placed a draft legislation to make acid attack a serious offence.