The Supreme Court of India voiced profound concern regarding the continuing occurrence of violent acid attacks across the country, admonishing the Union government and state administrations over the persistent failure to enforce regulatory bans on retail chemical sales. Hearing a progress petition on victim rehabilitation and preventative monitoring, the judicial bench observed that existing administrative guidelines restricting over-the-counter sales of corrosive acids have largely proved ineffective on the ground.
The apex court questioned why hazardous industrial acids remain easily obtainable in neighborhood commercial markets without mandatory identity verification, digital inventory tracking, or buyer licensing. Justices pointed out that despite previous binding judicial directives mandating state-level compensation, specialized medical treatment facilities, and stringent sales logs, victims continue to endure catastrophic physical trauma without timely institutional support. The court granted the Centre three weeks to convene a national regulatory conference and report on the feasibility of an outright ban on unregulated retail chemical distribution.
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Sources:
https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/supreme-court-pulls-up-centre-over-rising-acid-attacks-says-guidelines-to-curb-sales-have-failed