New Delhi, 4 December. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant expressed his displeasure during the hearing on Thursday in the acid attack case on a woman in 2009 and said that this is a mockery of the system. The CJE was surprised to hear this when he was told that the trial of the 2009 acid attack case was pending.

When the petitioner told the court that he was attacked with acid 16 years ago in 2009 and the trial of the case is still going on, CJI Surya Kant said that if the national capital cannot handle such a situation, then who will? This is a matter of shame. This is a mockery of the system.

In this sequence, the Supreme Court asked for data from all the High Courts about the pending trial in the acid attack case. The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi has directed the Registrar General of all High Courts to submit data regarding pending acid attack cases.

According to the website ‘Live Law’, the petitioner in the case said in the court, ‘I had an acid attack in 2009, till now the trial is going on. Nothing happened in the case till 2013 and the trial, which is now happening in Rohini, Delhi, is now in the final hearing stage. CJI Surya Kant said, ‘This crime is of 2009 and the trial has not been completed yet. If the National Capital cannot handle such challenges then who will? This is a matter of shame for the system.

The petitioner said that along with fighting her case, she is also working to help other acid attack survivors. The CJI asked the petitioner to file an application to expedite the trial. Also said that the trial of this case should be conducted daily.

The bench sought details from the registries of all the High Courts within four weeks. During the hearing, the petitioner highlighted the plight of victims who are forced to drink acid, often survive with artificial feeding tubes and severe disabilities. The bench also sought response from the Center on his plea that acid attack survivors be included in the category of disabled so that their access to welfare schemes can be ensured.