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Chief justice tells CS, addl CS: ‘File affidavit on steps to check sale of acid’
LUCKNOW Admitting a PIL seeking ban on sale of acid in the state, Chief Justice of Allahabad high court Justice Govind Mathur on Friday asked the chief secretary
LUCKNOW Admitting a PIL seeking ban on sale of acid in the state, Chief Justice of Allahabad high court Justice Govind Mathur on Friday asked the chief secretary and additional chief secretary (home), state government, to file affidavits by January 31 on steps taken by the government to check sale of acid.
The court issued similar directives to the union home ministry and union health ministry to file affidavits on the issue.
In the PIL, the UP government and the Centre were made respondents.
Chief Justice Mathur was holding the court in Lucknow bench of high court on Friday.
Chhanv Foundation, an NGO working for acid attack survivors, filed the PIL. It also runs Sheroes Café, a famous hangout run by acid attack survivors in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, and Agra.
On behalf of Chhanv Foundation, lawyer Prince Lenin filed the PIL and argued the case.
“We have requested the court to issue a writ, order or command in the nature of mandamus thereby directing the opposite parties to ensure strict compliance of the directions issued by the apex court in case of Laxmi Vs Union of India (2016/ 3 SCC 669) regarding ban on sale of acid across the state of UP,” said Prince Lenin.
“The court took serious view of unchecked sale of acid across the state and ordered the chief secretary and principal secretary (additional chief secretary), home, of the UP government to file an affidavit by January 31 on steps taken to check sale of acid in the state,” said lawyer Prince Lenin.
The court also ordered the union government to file an affidavit on the issue, added Lenin.
It may be pointed out that the Supreme Court issued specific directives on sale of acid in the Laxmi Vs Union of India case.
Laxmi is an acid attack survivor on whose life Bollywood movie ‘Chhapaak’ is based.
Through RTI applications, the Chhanv Foundation had also sought details on steps taken by district magistrates across the state to check sale of acid. But it failed to get satisfactory reply from any district.
