Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Supreme Court Orders Nationwide Acid-Attack Data, Presses Faster Trials and Tougher Deterrence

A four-week data audit will underpin time-bound trials for acid-attack cases.

Overview

  • All States and Union Territories must, within four weeks, file year-wise data on incidents, chargesheets, trial and appeal pendency, and detailed victim particulars, with separate reporting for forced-ingestion cases.
  • High Courts were asked to consider out-of-turn, time-bound disposal of acid-attack trials and appeals based on status reports already showing heavy backlogs.
  • The bench said current compensation is inadequate and directed State Legal Services Authorities to submit existing rehabilitation, compensation and medical-aid schemes for survivors.
  • Chief Justice Surya Kant proposed attaching and auctioning assets of those found guilty to fund victim compensation and urged the Centre to consider a burden-of-proof shift similar to dowry-death provisions; these are suggestions, not law.
  • Fifteen High Courts have submitted pendency figures, including 198 cases in Uttar Pradesh, 114 in Gujarat, 68 in Bihar and 58 in Maharashtra, as the Court also offered legal aid to petitioner and survivor Shaheen Malik for her appeal.