The Supreme Court on Monday appointed Senior Advocate Liz Mathew as Amicus Curiae in its suo motu proceedings concerning recent rape incidents in Delhi-NCR and directed the Delhi Police and civic authorities to undertake a series of public-safety measures within four weeks. The Bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran also issued notice to the Chief Secretary of Delhi, the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, and the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court.
The Court took note of several recent reported incidents involving women and minor girls, including the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park, the alleged gang rape and murder of a teenage girl in Swaroop Nagar, and the alleged sexual assault of a minor inside a moving sleeper bus which travelled over 47 km from Greater Noida to Delhi. Referring to the latter incident, the Court observed:
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“One cannot help but draw painful parallels to the 2012 Nirbhaya case, calling into question whether systemic law enforcement mechanisms have made any meaningful progress in the decade since then.”
The Court said that the incidents, considered alongside other reports of sexual offences across Delhi-NCR, raised concerns about the functioning of law-enforcement and civil administrative authorities.
The Bench further emphasised that the right to live with dignity and without fear of violence forms part of the constitutional guarantee under Article 21. It said public spaces such as parks, roads, buses, metro stations, subways and footbridges cannot be allowed to become high-risk zones because of inadequate lighting, surveillance or patrolling.
Also Read: ‘Systematic Failure’: Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognizance of Recent Rape Cases in Delhi-NCR
The Court also said that expressions of concern by public authorities and elected representatives, without corresponding accountability, would not address the institutional issues raised by the incidents.
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“The statements made by public authorities and elected representatives expressing concern over these incidents are understandable. Expressions of concern, devoid of accountability, fall short of answering the larger institutional question. Expressing solidarity is not the solution to this social evil. What is required is a measurable response, with responsibility and accountability fixed upon the authorities entrusted with prevention of crime, maintenance of public order and protection of vulnerable persons.”
The Court clarified that the suo motu proceedings were not concerned with determining the criminal culpability of individual accused persons. Rather, it would examine whether adequate systemic, preventive and monitoring mechanisms were in place to ensure safety in public spaces across Delhi-NCR.
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“The scope of the present suo moto proceedings is not directed at assessing individual criminal culpability, but rather at examining the broader institutional failures that transcend any single case. The primary objective of the present proceedings is to evaluate whether effective systemic, preventive, and monitoring frameworks are currently in place to ensure safety in public spaces across Delhi-NCR.”
The Court has sought a comprehensive status report on the following key aspects concerning women’s safety in Delhi:
1. Safety and security arrangements: Measures in place at public places, parks, roads, public transport facilities, markets, educational institutions and other areas frequented by women and children, including arrangements during peak and late-night hours.
2. Use of NDSO database: How the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO) is being used by Delhi Police for antecedent verification and identification of repeat or habitual sexual offenders, including its use in investigations over the preceding five years.
3. Use of ITSSO: How the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) is being used to monitor and track time-bound investigation of sexual-offence cases, including mechanisms for monitoring delays and alerting senior officers.
4. Mission Shakti: Details of the Mission Shakti programme operating in Delhi, including its components, agencies implementing them, services available to women and children, and mechanisms for assessing their effectiveness and accessibility.
5. Women-safety mechanisms and services: Status and functioning of mechanisms referred to in the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s June 2024 report on Implementation of Beijing Declaration and Platforms for Action, including ERSS 112, Women Helpline 181, Safe City Project, Women Help Desks in police stations, and One Stop Centres.
6. Public awareness and accessibility: Whether adequate publicity is being given to ERSS 112, Women Helpline 181, Women Help Desks and One Stop Centres, and whether Delhi authorities are conducting regular awareness programmes in schools, colleges and residential areas to ensure people know about and can access these services.
The Court made clear that the status reports should not merely describe schemes existing on paper, but should specify whether they are operational, their coverage, the responsible authority, the volume of complaints handled and response times wherever measurable.
Immediate measures
As an immediate measure, the Court directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to constitute dedicated teams for every police district, headed by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, to survey vulnerable areas including isolated stretches, parks, transport hubs, markets and zones around educational institutions. The teams have been directed to identify locations where inadequate lighting, lack of surveillance, insufficient patrolling or other deficiencies could increase the risk of crime.
The Court further ordered preparation of district-wise vulnerability maps, intensified patrolling of identified vulnerable areas, and an immediate audit of lighting and CCTV infrastructure across public parks and other vulnerable zones. Non-functional cameras and lighting infrastructure are to be repaired or restored, while additional infrastructure is to be installed wherever deficiencies are identified.
The Court also sought information from the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court regarding Fast Track Special Courts and Exclusive POCSO Courts, including their number, pendency, disposal rates and average time taken to conclude cases. The Delhi High Court was directed to assign the relevant cases to designated Fast Track Special Courts and ensure that trials are concluded expeditiously, preferably within one year from commencement of trial.
Importantly, the Court also addressed media reporting of sexual offences, stressing that coverage must remain responsible and restrained and must not disclose the identity of victims. It directed the District Administration to engage with media houses to disseminate information regarding available protective mechanisms and emergency helpline numbers. It observed:
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“Media outlets, journalists, and publishing platforms must remain deeply mindful of their solemn obligation to practice responsible, empathetic, and restrained journalism in such matters. Sensationalist headlines, graphic or lurid descriptions of sexual violence, and insensitive phraseology fail to serve any public interest and risk causing severe secondary trauma to victims and their families.”
The Court appointed Senior Advocate Liz Mathew as Amicus Curiae to assist it in the proceedings and directed the Registry to provide her a copy of the order along with the newspaper clippings placed before the Court. The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 5, 2026.
