Centre hints at regulating free sale of acid

With acid having become a weapon of "serious" offence, the Centre on Monday indicated it was considering regulating free sale of the substance after the Supreme Court favoured a similar action.

With acid having become a weapon of "serious" offence, the Centre on Monday indicated it was considering regulating free sale of the substance after the Supreme Court favoured a similar action.

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"There should be some restriction on free sale of corrosive substance. Acid is easily avialable," a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam observed.

"It is a serious offence," the Bench said during the hearing of a PIL filed in 2006 by a Delhi-based minor girl Laxmi whose arms, face and other body parts were disfigured in an acid attack.

The Centre, which till March this year had failed to come up with a clear stand of making acid attack a "serious offence" and curbing the sale of acid, today said the new UPA government was working on the issue.

"There will be some positive development," Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran told the Bench. He said Home Minister P Chidambaram has taken up the issue on a priority basis and "something can be done on it".

Parasaran said he will take instruction and sought eight weeks to respond to the court.

Earlier, the Centre had said the issue of banning the sale of acid has to be decided by the state governments and it
had not found favour with them. (more)