Judicial Monitoring And National Legal Services Authority Compliance In Acid Attack Survivor Protection
Kumar Shivam, B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), Law College Dehradun, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Mr. Ashok Dobhal, Assistant Professor, Law College Dehradun, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
ABSTRACT
In India, protections for acid attack survivors are shifting from advocacy to enforcement. This paper examines acid attack law, victim compensation law, the 2016 NALSA framework, the 2018 NALSA compensation scheme, the RPWD Act 2016, select Supreme Court orders, and official incidence data. The 2018 NALSA scheme is a step forward, but existing law also offers some protection. When NALSA is applied, police forward complaints to SLAC and DLAC, and relief can be granted within seven days and up to eight lakhs in serious cases. Survivors of acid attacks are entitled to compensation and fall under the category of limb disability. There is still room for improvement in the law. In March 2023, the Supreme Court ordered bureaucracies to maintain victim records and ensure timely compensation. The court also instructed officials to circulate these orders and disburse funds for late payments. In March 2026, the court expressed concern about the lack of private and state hospital treatment. Parliamentary records show a 207- submission delay and 1240-trial backlog in 2023. This study argues that timely payments, hospital access, rehabilitation, and accountability are crucial.
Keywords: acid attack survivors; judicial monitoring; National Legal Services Authority; victim compensation; rehabilitation
