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Synopsis

The Allahabad High Court, earlier this week, directed the Uttar Pradesh government to furnish an affidavit outlining the measures adopted by state authorities to curb the unrestricted sale of acid throughout the state.

The bench of Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Kshitij Shailendra ordered that the affidavit be filed by an officer not below the rank of Deputy/Special Secretary.

The order was passed in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by six law students studying in different colleges.

They submitted before the court that during their internship, they conducted a survey to find out whether the guidelines framed by the Supreme Court in Laxmi vs. Union of India and others, (2014) to prevent acid attacks were being followed in the state or not.

As per a report submitted by the petitioners, they were able to purchase acid from the shopkeepers over the counter.

It was claimed that the shopkeepers were not found maintaining any log-register containing address of the person to whom the acid was being sold.

They further submitted that at the time of sale of acid bottles to the petitioners, the shop keepers did not ask for their IDs.

To this, Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal, appearing for the State, prayed for time to file an affidavit.

Court allowed the same and directed the matter to be posted on January 23, 2024 for further hearing.

Notably, another PIL is pending before the high court which has also been filed by seven law students for appropriately dealing with the acid attack cases. One of the prayers made in the petition related to payment of compensation to the victims of such crime.

That plea stated that Section 357-A of CrPC mandates the State Government to prepare a scheme for providing funds for the purpose of compensation to the victims or his/her dependents. The said provisions further for a scheme for the rehabilitation of victims and for taking care of medical facilities for such victims, the plea stated.

Case Title: Navya Kesarwani And 5 Others v. State Of U.P. And 3 Others