The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Registrar Generals of all 25 High Courts to submit data on the status of acid attack cases pending trials in different courts across the country.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi expressed its strong displeasure over the pendency in acid attack cases and observed that such prolonged delay undermined the very credibility of the criminal justice system.
The Apex Court made these observations while hearing the petition of an acid attack survivor.
The petitioner apprised the Bench that the criminal trial, which was instituted in 2009 in Shaheen Malik vs Union of India & Anr, remained unresolved even after 16 years.
The petitioner recounted that although the assault took place in 2009, the prosecution was still pending before a Rohini Sessions Court in Delhi. Her counsel pointed out that the case had seen virtually no movement until 2013 and has only recently reached the stage of final arguments.
The Bench questioned how a crime of such severity could remain in limbo for over a decade and a half. It asked the petitioner to file a formal request for expeditious disposal and signalled that the Court may consider taking up the issue on its own motion if the systemic inertia continues.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, noted that offenders responsible for such atrocities ought to face consequences commensurate with the brutality they inflicted.
The petitioner also drew attention to other cases where victims were forced to ingest acid, leading to lasting internal damage, permanent disabilities, and lifelong medical dependency.
The PIL sought broader systemic reform for survivors who continue to grapple with devastating physical and psychological after-effects.
The Bench urged the Solicitor General to explore whether survivors of acid attacks could be expressly included within the statutory definition of persons with disabilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, noting that legislative intervention may be necessary to ensure comprehensive protection. The Solicitor General indicated that the proposal merited serious consideration.
In response to the wider pattern of delay across various jurisdictions, the top court of the country directed all High Courts to provide detailed data on pending acid attack trials within their respective states.
The Bench observed that, given the irreversible harm caused by such crimes, these trials should ideally be conducted on a day-to-day basis, preferably before designated Special Courts, to prevent justice from being defeated by procedural stagnation.
The Solicitor General suggested that the State of Haryana be impleaded since the incident originally occurred there.
The Apex Court clarified that the trial had already been transferred to Delhi and directed the petitioner to move an application seeking daily hearings. Once the application was filed, the Court would ensure that the trial proceeded without further delay, it added.
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