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SC slaps ban on free sale of acid
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, July 18
The Supreme Court today banned the unrestricted retail sale of acids, hiked the compensation to acid attack victims to Rs 3 lakh and directed the Centre and the states to make the offence non-bailable as part of the steps to sternly deal with the rising trend of jilted men misusing the chemical to disfigure the girls who spurned their advances.

A Bench comprising Justices RM Lodha and FMI Kalifulla passed the directives at the suggestion of the Centre in response to a PIL filed by a Delhi-based acid attack victim, Laxmi, in 2006.

From now on, acid can be bought only from a licenced shopkeeper within the locality and that too after showing a government issued photo identity card and giving your telephone number, besides explaining the reasons for its requirement. Acid will not be sold to persons below 18.

The licenced shopkeeper will have to declare the acid stocks to the sub-divisional magistrate every 15 days and not doing this will attract a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 and the undeclared stocks will be confiscated.

Of the Rs 3 lakh compensation to each victim, the states should pay Rs one lakh within 15 days and the remaining amount as early as possible but within two months.

Photo ID a must

• From now on, acid can be bought only from a licenced shopkeeper within the locality
• A buyer has to show a government issued photo identity card, besides explaining the reason for purchase
• Acid will not be sold to persons below 18.
• The licensed shopkeeper is required to pass on the buyers’ details to the local police within three days