New Delhi, July 15 -- The Centre told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that acid attack survivors who suffer internal injuries due to forcible ingestion of the corrosive substance will now be entitled for benefits under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2016 (RPwD), following a recent amendment that recognises "internal" disfigurement as well. The step taken by the Centre followed a judgment by the top court on May 4 which directed that persons forced to ingest acid will be entitled to benefits meant for disabled persons till such time a formal amendment is carried out in the act. On Tuesday, solicitor general Tushar Mehta appearing for Centre produced a copy of a May 22 notification issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment that brought all acid attack victims, regardless of internal or external injuries, at par under the RPwD act. Noting the development, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said, "Since the above amendment is clarificatory in nature, it shall be deemed to be in existence since the time when the 2016 Act came into existence." The order came in a public interest litigation filed by one Shaheen Malik, an acid attack survivor, who brought out the plight of victims who are forced to drink acid and suffer permanent damage to internal organs for which they undergo life-long treatment. However, since the RPwD act considered only outward disfigurement, such persons failed to get benefits under the disability law....