On January 19, 2026, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to reply to a plea seeking special train quota and concessional fares for acid attack victims (AAVs). A Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued notice on the petition filed by NGO Atijeevan Society, represented by advocate Ananth Venkataramani. The petition stated that AAVs need frequent travel for lifesaving and restorative treatments. They face severe physical disabilities and require multiple surgeries and advanced medical care available only in select metropolitan hospitals. The petition pointed out that AAVs mostly come from poorer backgrounds and must travel long distances for treatment. "Due to the extant framework, AAVs can neither avail to earmarked quota otherwise available to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) nor the concessional railway fare facility," it said, noting that the cost of air-conditioned train travel is often too high for them. AAVs are recognized as persons with specified disabilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. However, while other disabilities like haemophilia, thalassemia, blindness, and orthopedic handicaps get fare concessions, acid attack victims do not. The petition argued that this exclusion is "ex-facie arbitrary and violates Article 14 of the Constitution," which guarantees equality before the law. The Supreme Court's notice asks the Centre to explain the omission and consider providing train benefits for acid attack survivors. This move brings attention to the ongoing struggle of acid attack victims for justice and support in travel for medical care.