The Supreme Court (SC) on May 11, 2018 approved the 'Compensation Scheme for Women Victims/Survivors of Sexual Assault/Other Crimes-2018', a uniform compensation scheme for victims of sexual assault and acid attacks.
| Who prepared the scheme? |
| The scheme was prepared by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in consultation with the Union Government. |
A bench of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta ordered that the scheme should be implemented in all states and union territories.
| Compensation slabs for victims of sexual assault, gang rape and acid attacks | ||
| Cases | Minimum Compensation | Maximum Compensation |
| Victims of sexual assault | Rs 4 lakh | Rs 7 lakh |
| Loss of life or gang rape | Rs 5 lakh | Rs 10 lakh |
| Burnings or acid attacks: Total disfigurement | Rs 7 lakh | Rs 8 lakh |
| Burnings or acid attacks: 50 percent burns | Rs 5 lakh | Rs 8 lakh |
| Loss of limb or body part resulting in 80 percent permanent disability | Rs 2 lakh | Rs 2 lakh |
| Cases of grievous physical injury | Rs 2 lakh | Rs 2 lakh |
| Pregnancy on account of rape | Rs 3 lakh | Rs 4 lakh |
| Miscarriage or loss of fertility due to assaults | Rs 2 lakh | Rs 3 lakh |
Highlights of the compensation scheme
• The scheme defines the compensation slabs for victims of sexual assault, acid attacks and even for the loss of a fetus.
• It empowers the legal services authority to take suo motu cognisance of cases of sexual assault and acid attacks to grant interim relief after preliminary verification.
• Under the scheme, a compensation fund will be set up that will be managed by State Legal Services Authority (SLSA).
• The compensation fund will also set up a portal for victims to apply online for compensation.
| Status of Nirbhaya Fund |
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Background
The report was submitted by the NALSA Director Surinder S Rathi in the apex court, directing the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Principal Secretaries of all states to undertake steps to ensure implementation of the scheme as soon as possible.
Earlier, NALSA had also informed the apex court that only 5 to 10 percent of sexual assault victims across the country were able to get compensation in various states till now.
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