Acid attack: SC rules out total ban on free sale of acid

Concerns over growing instances of acid-hurling on women notwithstanding, the Supreme Court today ruled out ordering a total ban on free sale of acid saying such an action is not possible as various state governments have expressed their reservations about it.

Concerns over growing instances of acid-hurling on women notwithstanding, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled out ordering a total ban on free sale of acid saying such an action is not possible as various state governments have expressed their reservations about it.

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"The ban on free sale of acid is not possible. There can be restrictive and permissible sale as state governments have different view," a Bench comprisng Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan said.

"The issue falls in the state subject. Unless state governments co-operate, little could be done," the Bench said asking the petitioner's counsel to implead state governments in the matter and posted the hearing after three weeks on October 30.

The remarks by the Bench on the issue came after Additional Solicitor General Mohan Prasaran said the idea of complete ban on free sale of acid has not found favour with state governments.

However, advocate Aparna Bhat, who is pressing for complete ban on free sale of acid since 2006, alleged the Centre has not done anything when incidents of acid attacks increased manifold.

"The Centre is not taking corrective steps," she charged.