SC turns spotlight on glitches in pay-outs, free critical care to acid attack victims

The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to look into a plea that acid attack survivors, mostly young women, have neither been paid in full the minimum ₹3 lakh in victim compensation nor provided free critical care by private hospitals.

A Bench headed by Justice B.V. Nagarathna decided to examine what ails the disbursement of victim compensation to acid attack survivors despite repeated judicial orders from the top court spanning years.

The court had in 2006 taken judicial cognisance of the trauma undergone by acid attack victims after witnessing and hearing Laxmi, who was ambushed by a trio of men, one of whom she had refused to marry. Laxmi was 15 years old at the time.

The top court had ordered States to pay victims a minimum ₹3 lakh compensation, of which ₹1 lakh was to be given within 15 days of the incident and the balance within two months. The court had banned over-the-counter sale of acid. It had declared that private hospitals would be held criminally liable for refusing free treatment to victims before referring them to a specialised facility. Free medical treatment included medicines, bed and food besides physical treatment to victims of acid attacks. These directions were passed in judicial orders in 2013 and reiterated by the top court in 2015.

In April 2015, the court had directed that district legal services authorities would function as criminal injuries compensation boards and take up the compensation claims made by acid attack victims.

On March 20 this year, the Supreme Court gave acid attack victims liberty to approach the State or district legal services authorities or legal services committee in case there was any default or delay in payment of compensation from the States. The legal services bodies were asked to maintain records of the names and details of acid attack victims, the dates of application for compensation and payment. These statutory bodies, dedicated to providing free legal services to weaker sections of society, were also ordered to ensure that private hospitals did not turn away acid attack victims.

Appearing before Justice Nagarathna’s Bench on Wednesday, petitioner-NGO Acid Survivors Saahas Foundation said that apart from an initial ₹1 lakh, nothing further was received by victims as part of the ₹3 lakh compensation, particularly in States like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. There was no monetary aid for reconstructive surgery.

Private hospitals were refusing treatment until victims had paid up in full. “That is what really hurts us, not only as lawyers, but as human beings,” the NGO counsel submitted.

The court issued notice and impleaded the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in the case. The Bench directed NALSA to collect data from State legal services authorities about the amounts disbursed to acid attack victims as compensation.

A counsel appearing for NALSA orally submitted that ₹484 crore, approximately, was disbursed as compensation from March 2024 to April 2025. She agreed to file a written response on the aspect of payment of compensation.

The court further directed that its judicial orders be brought to the notice of the State Chief Secretaries for issuing suitable directions for disbursement of funds to the State legal services authorities, which would in turn forward the funds to district bodies for final payment to survivors.

The Bench also ordered the principal health secretaries of States and Union Territories to ensure that private hospitals comply and take in victims for free treatment.

The case was scheduled for further hearing on February 3, 2026.