Will frame policy on rail concessions for acid attack victims: Centre to top court

New Delhi: The Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday that it has agreed in principle to formulate a policy on railway concessions for acid attack survivors, with the benefit intended to help them travel for medical treatment. The government's position came during the resumed hearing of a plea seeking railway concessions and reservation benefits for acid attack survivors.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the survivors are already recognised as persons with disabilities under the law and suggested that the concession could be structured as a social welfare measure. "Putting them in the disabled category, that has now been statutorily resolved, with the amendment through another petition before us," CJI Kant remarked. The Centre told the bench that it proposed to extend the concession under the existing 'patient category', rather than create a separate concession under the disability category. Its counsel said the government was willing to provide the concession as acid attack survivors need to travel for medical treatment.

Counsel for petitioner Atijeevan Society, however, urged the Centre to provide the concession under the disability category, with appropriate modalities, to allow survivors to travel between states for treatment.