New Delhi. The Supreme Court has given important instructions to the Center and the states regarding the rehabilitation of acid attack victims. The court has asked all states and union territories to formulate a clear policy to provide government jobs to acid attack victims. If for some reason it is not possible to provide them government employment, then a plan should be made to provide them subsistence allowance or subsistence allowance. These instructions were given by the bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi during the hearing. The bench also asked the states and union territories as to why no concrete plan has been made so far for the rehabilitation of acid attack victims through jobs in government departments and agencies. The court has asked the governments to file replies in this regard.
During the hearing, the court said that if any state faces logistical problems in providing government jobs to acid attack victims, then at least a policy can be made to provide them subsistence allowance, so that the victims can get financial support. During the hearing of the case, the victim Shaheen Malik requested the court that she wanted to get her defense done through senior advocate Siddharth Luthra.
The court requested Siddharth Luthra to take up the case on a pro bono basis, which he accepted. The victim also demanded a time bound hearing in this sensitive matter. The court was told that acid attack victims face serious difficulties in processes like opening a bank account, getting an Aadhaar card made, registering property or getting a mobile SIM card. In the digital KYC process, biometric processes like blinking or giving fingerprints are sometimes not possible for them. On this, the victims requested the court to direct the Central Government to make an inclusive and alternative system for digital KYC. The court said that the matter will be heard further after the government’s reply.
