Supreme Court: In view of a series of deeply disturbing news reports detailing egregious crimes against minor girls and women across Delhi-NCR, a Division Bench of J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran, JJ., initiated suo motu proceedings to examine the safety and security of public spaces and the broader institutional mechanisms in place to protect women and children. Emphasising that the right to live with dignity, free from the fear of violence, is an intrinsic facet of Article 21, the Court observed that public spaces cannot be permitted to become zones of high risk due to inadequate illumination, poor surveillance, lax patrolling or other preventable administrative deficiencies.
The Court directed the authorities to submit comprehensive status reports on existing safety mechanisms and, within 4 weeks, undertake vulnerability mapping, strengthen patrolling, conduct lighting and CCTV audits, utilise citizen grievance mechanisms and intensify vehicular inspections. The Court also sought details regarding Fast Track Special Courts and Exclusive POCSO Courts, emphasised responsible reporting of sexual offences, appointed Liz Mathew, Senior Counsel, as Amicus Curiae, and listed the matter for 5 October 2026.
The Court while taking note of the recent sexual harassment and rape incidents in the Delhi-NCR region including the alleged gang rape at Aastha Kunj Park in Delhi, sexual harassment faced by students of Lady Shri Ram College for Women, the alleged gang rape and murder of a teenage girl in the Swaroop Nagar area of Delhi and alleged sexual assault of a minor girl inside a moving sleeper bus observed that:
“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 observed that these incidents were a stark reminder of the persistent vulnerabilities faced by women and children in spaces that ought to be safe and accessible to all.
The Court further observed that the recent incidents of sexual offences across Delhi-NCR starkly underline a systemic failure on the part of law enforcement and civil administrative authorities to guarantee basic public safety. Emphasising that the right to live with dignity, under Article 21 of the Constitution, the Court held that public spaces cannot be permitted to become zones of high risk due to grossly inadequate illumination, poor surveillance, lax patrolling or other preventable administrative deficiencies.
“The right to live with dignity, free from the fear of violence, is an intrinsic facet of the fundamental guarantee of life and personal liberty enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution. Public spaces, including parks, roads, buses, metro stations, subways, foot bridges, etc. cannot be permitted to become zones of high risk due to grossly inadequate illumination, poor surveillance, lax patrolling, or other preventable administrative deficiencies.”
The Court further observed that expressions of concern, devoid of accountability, fall short of answering the larger institutional question and called for 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 emphasised that inadequate illumination, deficient surveillance, lack of visible police patrolling and absence of prompt interventional response mechanisms expose every citizen to heightened security risks. It reiterated that the primary obligation of the State and its instrumentalities is to maintain public spaces that are safe, accessible and secure for all, while remaining particularly attentive to the heightened risks faced by children, women and other sexual minorities. At the same time, the Court clarified that the present suo motu proceedings were not directed at assessing individual criminal culpability, as guilt or innocence can only be determined through due process and fair trial, but at examining broader institutional failures and whether effective systemic, preventive and monitoring frameworks are in place to ensure safety in public spaces across Delhi-NCR.
“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 sought a comprehensive status report to ascertain whether the safety measures announced or introduced by the authorities are actually operational on the ground and have translated into effective protection and timely response.
Issues
The Court sought comprehensive reports from the authorities concerned on the following issues:
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Whether adequate safety and security arrangements are presently in place in public spaces, including parks, roads, public transport facilities, markets and educational institutions, and whether such arrangements remain effective during peak, late evening and early morning hours.
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The manner in which the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO) is being utilised by the Delhi Police for antecedent verification, identification of repeat or habitual sexual offenders and formulation of lawful preventive measures.
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The manner in which the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) is being utilised in Delhi for monitoring time-bound investigation of sexual-offence cases, including review mechanisms, responsibility for monitoring, remedial action in cases of delay and alerts to senior officers.
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The manner in which the Mission Shakti programme is operational in Delhi, including the services available to women and children and the mechanism for evaluating their effectiveness and accessibility.
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The present status and actual functioning in Delhi of various mechanisms intended to strengthen the safety and protection of women, including ERSS 112, Women Helpline 181, the Safe City Project, Women Help Desks in police stations, and One Stop Centres.
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Whether adequate publicity and information dissemination is being undertaken regarding ERSS 112, Women Helpline 181, Women Help Desks and One Stop Centres, including through regular programmes in schools, colleges, educational institutions and residential colonies, to make citizens aware of the protective devices in place and the ready access to such devices.
Analysis and Directions
The Court observed that the purpose of calling for the status reports was not to evaluate governmental schemes merely on paper, but to ascertain whether the mechanisms intended to protect women and children were actually accessible, functional, adequately staffed, capable of responding promptly and subject to continuing institutional oversight. The Court directed the authorities concerned to place on record a comprehensive status report regarding the operational status, geographical coverage, responsible officers, volume of complaints/calls/cases/interventions and average response time of the various safety mechanisms. Having regard to the gravity of the concerns, the Court directed that the following immediate interim measures be undertaken within a period of 4 weeks from the date of the order:
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Vulnerability survey and mapping: The Commissioner of Police, Delhi, shall constitute dedicated police teams for each police district, headed by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, to conduct an immediate survey and inspection of vulnerable pockets, including outskirts, isolated stretches, parks, transport hubs, markets, educational-institution zones and other public places. The audit shall be based upon NCRB data, local intelligence, past and present complaints, previous incidents, and other objective indicators. The teams shall identify locations where poor lighting, lack of surveillance, insufficient patrolling, abandoned structures, poor access control, or other deficiencies may increase the risk of crime. A district-wise vulnerability map shall be prepared and shared across adjoining police stations.
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Patrolling and security arrangements: Appropriate patrolling and security arrangements shall be deployed at all identified public parks and vulnerable areas at all times, particularly during evening and early morning hours and/or such other periods as may emerge from the crime and vulnerability assessment. A Designated Officer shall be responsible for each such location, with a mechanism for periodic inspection.
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Lighting and CCTV audit: An immediate lighting and CCTV audit shall be carried out across all public parks and vulnerable zones to eliminate blind spots. Non-functional CCTV cameras and lighting infrastructure shall be repaired or restored expeditiously. Additional lights and CCTVs shall be installed wherever inadequacy is sensed or reported by citizens. A similar audit shall be undertaken in respect of metro stations, bus stops, bus terminals, railway stations and other major public transport facilities, particularly those falling within or adjoining identified vulnerable zones.
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Citizen grievance mechanism: The existing citizen grievance-redressal mechanism, including the CM Jan Sunwai Portal, shall be utilised as an additional source of information for identifying deficiencies in public-safety infrastructure. Complaints regarding inadequate or non-functional lighting, insufficient CCTV coverage, dark or isolated stretches, unsafe access points and other vulnerabilities shall, wherever appropriate, be geo-tagged or otherwise location-specific, forwarded to the competent authority for verification and acted upon within a prescribed time-frame. The status of such complaints and the action taken thereon shall remain capable of being tracked by the complainant.
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Integration of citizen complaints: The Commissioner of Police, in coordination with the civic authorities concerned and other agencies responsible for public infrastructure, shall periodically analyse complaints received through the grievance-redressal mechanism and incorporate recurring or corroborated complaints into the vulnerability mapping exercise. Citizen complaints shall not be treated merely as isolated grievances, but, where appropriate, as inputs into the identification of emerging public-safety vulnerabilities.
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Intensified police patrolling: Intensified police patrolling shall encompass mobile check-posts and vehicular inspections at regular intervals. The law enforcement authorities shall strictly enforce the safety protocols and directions laid down by the Court in Avishek Goenka v. Union of India, (2012) 5 SCC 321, particularly the complete prohibition on aftermarket window films. The police shall take immediate measures to impound non-compliant vehicles, remove illegal window coatings and prosecute offenders without further lapses.
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Fast Track Special Courts and Exclusive POCSO Courts: The Registrar General, High Court of Delhi, shall place on record, by way of an affidavit within 4 weeks, comprehensive information regarding the present status and functioning of the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) and Exclusive POCSO Courts in Delhi, specifying the total number of functional courts, cases pending before each Court, annual disposal rates for the preceding three years and the average time taken for final disposal.
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Expeditious trial of cases: The Delhi High Court on its administrative side shall assign the abovementioned cases to a designated Fast Track Special Court and ensure that the trials are concluded expeditiously, preferably within a period of 1 year from the commencement of trial.
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Suo motu proceedings and notice: The Registry was directed to register and number the matter as a suo motu writ petition (criminal) in public interest. Notice was issued to:
(a) Chief Secretary, GNCTD;
(b) Commissioner of Police, Delhi; and
(c) Registrar General, High Court of Delhi.
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Responsible media reporting: The Court emphasised that media reporting on sexual offences carries a profound constitutional and ethical duty. Media outlets, journalists and publishing platforms were reminded to practice responsible, empathetic and restrained journalism and to avoid sensationalist headlines, graphic or lurid descriptions and insensitive phraseology.
“…we find it imperative to observe that media reporting on sexual offences carries a profound constitutional and ethical duty. 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 reiterated the statutory mandate under Section 72, Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Section 23, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act) prohibiting disclosure, whether direct or indirect, of the identity of victims of sexual assault or minor children.
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Publicity of protective mechanisms: The District Administration shall call for an immediate meeting with media houses to provide a dedicated column in newspapers and dedicated time in electronic media for disseminating information regarding protective mechanisms and telephone numbers which may be accessed for immediate assistance in the event of a perceived threat.
The Court appointed Liz Mathew, Senior Counsel, as Amicus Curiae to assist the Court on the issue and directed the Registry to provide her with a copy of the order along with the newspaper cuttings.
The matter was directed to be listed on 5 October 2026 for further directions and compliance.
[In Re: Recent Rape Incidents in Delhi NCR, 2026 SCC OnLine SC 2018, decided on 28-9-2026]
