The Supreme Court of India on Thursday expressed deep shock and anger after learning that an acid attack case from 2009 is still stuck in trial even after 16 years. Calling this delay “a mockery of the legal system,” the court decided to take suo motu action (acting on its own) to address delays in all acid attack trials across the country. The court has asked every High Court to submit details about how many such cases are pending in their states.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by acid attack survivor Sangita Malik. During the hearing, the judges said they were shocked that a case from 2009 was still not decided. “What a mockery of the legal system! This is such a shame. If the national capital cannot handle this, then who will?” the CJI remarked.

Malik, who survived an acid attack in 2009, narrated her experience to the court. She said that although she now works to support other attack survivors, many women continue to suffer in silence. She explained that some victims are not just attacked from outside but are forced to drink acid, which causes severe internal injuries. These women struggle even more because their injuries are not always visible from the outside, and therefore they often do not receive proper medical aid or compensation.

The Chief Justice said he was horrified to learn that women were being forced to drink acid. “Unbelievable that something like this is still happening,” he said. The court then asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to consider amending the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 so that survivors with internal injuries from acid attacks are legally recognised as persons with disabilities and can get support.

The bench also asked Malik about the progress of her own case. She informed the court that nothing happened for four years after the attack. Only in 2013, when a judicial officer helped her, did the case reopen. Even today, the trial is still pending in a Delhi court.

The Supreme Court questioned why such an old case was still not finished and asked Malik to file an application requesting a faster trial. The court said it would instruct that her case be heard every day. Finally, the bench directed all High Courts to ensure fast-track hearings for acid attack cases and asked them to submit full details of pending trials so action can be taken to speed up justice for survivors.