Acid Attack Victims Expanded Under RPwD Act

EXPANDED DEFINITION OF ACID ATTACK VICTIMS UNDER RPWD ACT

Why in the News?

• Legal Amendment: The Union Government informed the Supreme Court that it has amended the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 to include victims of forcible acid ingestion within the definition of “acid attack victim.”
• Enhanced Protection: The amendment gives retrospective effect, enabling victims who suffered internal injuries before 22 May 2026 to claim benefits under the RPwD Act.

KEY AMENDMENTS TO THE RPWD ACT, 2016

• Expanded Definition: An acid attack victim now includes any person externally or internally disfigured due to throwing, administering, spilling, self-infliction, or accidental exposure to acid or similar corrosive substances.
• Recognition of Internal Injuries: The amendment addresses a legal gap by recognising forcible acid ingestion, which was previously excluded despite causing severe and permanent disabilities.
• Retrospective Benefit: The revised definition applies retrospectively, allowing survivors of earlier incidents to access rehabilitation, disability-related benefits, and legal protections.
• Alignment with Criminal Law: The amendment harmonises the RPwD Act with Section 124 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which criminalises both acid throwing and acid administration.
• Judicial Intervention: The amendment follows the Supreme Court’s intervention under Article 142, where the Court directed that survivors of forcible acid ingestion should not be denied statutory protection.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AMENDMENT

• Inclusive Disability Rights: The amendment broadens the disability rights framework by recognising both external and internal injuries, ensuring equal legal protection for all acid attack survivors.
• Access to Welfare: Eligible survivors can now avail reservation, rehabilitation, healthcare, education, employment support, and social security benefits under the RPwD Act.
• Victim-Centric Justice: It strengthens a rights-based approach by acknowledging the long-term physical, psychological, and social consequences of acid ingestion.
• Legal Consistency: Bringing disability law in line with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita ensures greater coherence between criminal justice and victim rehabilitation.
• Gender Justice: Since acid attacks disproportionately affect women, the amendment reinforces India’s commitment to gender justice, dignity, and protection of vulnerable persons.