Photo ID must for acid sale to persons below 18 yrs

The Centre on Tuesday briefed the Supreme Court on the measures to regulate sale of acid, stating that the chemical would not be sold to persons below 18 years of age without photo identity card.

Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran, appearing for the Centre, submitted that the Poisons Possession and Sale Rules, 2013 had been framed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in consultation with the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers in accordance with the statutory powers accorded under the Poison Act, 1919. A bench of Justices R M Lodha and S J Mukhopadhaya directed him to come out with the final draft within two days after discussing the rules with the states as the issue fell under the concurrent list and states were to implement the measures on the ground.

The court noted that acid attacks on women had increased and this had to be  checked immediately. The bench also suggested that the new rules should categorise and segregate sale of acid for industrial, medical and domestic purposes.

According to rules, every sale of poison, shall, as far as practical, be made by the licence holder in person or where the licence holder is a firm or a company, under supervision of an accredited representative or such firm or company.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by acid attack victim Laxmi, seeking regulation of the sale of acid in order to curb its abuse against women.