Supreme Court Extends Disability Law Benefits to Acid Attack Survivors with Internal Injuries

The Supreme Court ruled that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 must cover acid attack survivors who suffer internal injuries, even without visible outer disfigurement.

The Bench invoked Article 142 to expand the current definition, which previously only recognized victims disfigured by "throwing" corrosive substances.

The Court noted that forced administration of acid causes severe internal damage that warrants legal protection. Furthermore, the Bench suggested that attackers' assets should be attached to compensate victims and emphasized that shopkeepers selling acid illegally must face criminal consequences.

The Union government was directed to notify this change within two weeks.