The Supreme Court on Monday asked all the states and union territories to frame a policy to provide government jobs to all acid attack victims. If jobs can't be provided, then the states and union territories were asked to frame a policy to pay a subsistence allowance to the survivors.

"All states/Union territories will show cause why a scheme for the rehabilitation of victims of acid attacks through jobs in government departments/agencies has not been formulated," the bench of the Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said. Adding further, it mentioned, "If there are logistical issues in providing government employment to victims of acid attacks, the state governments could formulate a policy to pay a subsistence allowance to acid attack victims."

The direction came while hearing the case of Shaheen Malik, an acid attack survivor. Malik, who was represented by senior advocate Sidharth Luthra pro bono (free of charge) on the court's request, mentioned in her petition that acid attack survivors often face hardships in opening bank accounts, obtaining Aadhaar cards, registering or updating property, and purchasing mobile SIM cards.

Earlier this year, the Court flagged the need for harsher punishment in acid attack cases, suggesting that the assets of the accused should be attached and auctioned off to compensate the victims. The observations came during the hearing of the same Shaheen Malik plea, who approached the Supreme Court after a trial court acquitted the accused in her case.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

Source: India Today