Plea to ban sale of acid in Delhi: HC seeks govt's stand

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the Delhi government's stand on a plea by an acid attack survivor, who has alleged that the chemical was still easily available in the capital despite the Supreme Court directions to regulate its sale.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the Delhi government to spell out its stand on an affidavit in response to the petition which has sought a ban on the sale of acid in the national capital.

In her plea, 37-year-old Shaheen Malik has also alleged that the statutory rules which regulate the sale of acid were not being implemented here by authorities.

Malik, who survived an acid attack, has contended that acid was easily available for purchase across the counter in retail stores of Delhi.

She has sought proper implementation of the Delhi Poisons Possession and Sales Rules, 2015 which impose restrictions on the sale of acid in the national capital.

The petitioner has also argued that the apex court in its judgment in the Laxmi Agarwal acid attack case had issued guidelines with regard to the ban and regulation on the sale of acid, but the same was not being implemented.