In addition to the steps already taken in the past to regulate sale of acid, increased punishment for perpetrators of acid attack, compensation for the victims etc., the Central Government has announced additional new measures to strengthen legal and administrative framework to check acid attacks. The new steps were approved by the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh. These steps are meant to not only contain acid attacks but also create a mechanism for quick relief and proper rehabilitation of the acid attack victims. These steps were announced in a press release made by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. These steps come immediately after the incident of yesterday (23 December 2014) that took place in Delhi where two men on a motorbike threw acid at a 30-year-old woman doctor who was on her way to work on Tuesday morning.
The new steps announced by the Government on the issue of acid attacks are as under:
- Regulating sale of acid: For regulating sale of acid, a web application having functionalities like registration of stockists and retailers, issue of licenses by the District administration, targeting sale of acid to individuals only after recording personal details like proof of identity and proof of address of the purchaser will be developed.
- Immediate relief to victim: In order to ensure that the victims of acid attack are treated by the hospitals in a hassle-free manner, the Ministry of Home Affairs has planned to develop a new mechanism in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Finance and Insurance companies ensuring that the victims of acid attacks are treated on cashless basis, i.e., they would not be required to pay in cash for the treatment. It is proposed that the treatment amount would be paid from the Central Victim Compensation Fund which is proposed to be set up by MHA.
- Expeditious investigation and trial of acid attack cases: As per an amendment made to the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.P.C.) in 2013, trial of offences under Section 376A-D of IPC (i.e., rape cases), are to be completed within 60 days. The Government has proposed to extend this provision, by making suitable amendments in Cr.P.C., for time-bound investigation and trial of all cases related to “heinous crimes”. Government has proposed that all cases where maximum punishment of life imprisonment or death sentence is possible, will be categorized as “heinous crimes”.
- Speedy disposal of appeals: Government has also proposed to amend the law to fix time frame for disposal of appeals by courts, especially in cases of “heinous crimes” including acid attack cases.
- Rehabilitation of victims of acid attacks: Government has proposed to include acid attack victims in the category of Physically Challenged Persons or persons with disability. This will enable them to get the benefits of reservation, training, self-employment loan, etc., as applicable to the physically challenged persons.
Of course, the above-mentioned steps would help prevent acid attacks and also provide relief and rehabilitation to the victims of acid attacks. However, all these are only proposed steps. One has to wait and see how soon they can be implemented and also how effectively they can be implemented.
