Photo identity compulsory to purchase acid: Centre tells SC

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that in view of growing incidents of acid attacks, it has framed rules, under an existing law, to regulate retail sale of acid and other poisonous substances. The bench of justices R M Lodha and S J Mukhopadhya took note of the Poisons Possession and Sale Rules, 2013 that has been been framed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in consultation with the Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizer as per the statutory power accorded under the Poison Act 1919. [caption id=“attachment_960417” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image for representation only. AFP[/caption] The court, however, said the number of incidents of such attacks have increased and the situation required urgent steps to curb it. “Discuss the matter among themselves (Centre and states) and come up with a draft report day after tomorrow,” it said, adding the rules that have been framed would be sent to states for their approval and issuance of notifications and this process may take time. During the hearing, Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran, appearing for the Centre, referred to some provisions of the new rules to drive home the point that adequate measures have been taken to regulate the retail sale of acids and other poisonous substances. “Every sale of poisons, shall, as far practicable, be made by the license-holder in person or where the license-holder is a firm or a company, under supervision of an accredited representative or such firm or company. “A license holder shall not sell any poison to any person, unless the latter is personally known to him or identified to his satisfaction by producing a photo identity card which has his address or substantiate it with a document giving his address.. he shall not sell any poison to any person who appears to him to be under the age of 18 years…,” Parasaran said referring to proposed rules. The Solicitor General also said only licensed persons or entity would be able to sell such substances and the acids, to be sold in retail, which would be less harmful as their strength would be reduced. PTI