Connaught Place, New Delhi at night (file image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Supreme Court said on October 5 that the priority is to prevent crime, and not only to act after it.
It said every woman in the capital must feel safe.
It told the Centre and Delhi Police to act on the ground and not rely on paperwork.
It will monitor progress through reports.
The case was taken up on the court’s own motion.
The bench said that what matters is to prevent crime, and not only to act after it has been committed.
It said every woman in the capital must feel safe, whether she is walking at 10 pm or travelling by metro or road, according to news24online.
The court wants offenders to feel fear, and it said men should fear committing sexual offences.
The court directed each Delhi district to set up a dedicated police team led by an officer of Deputy Superintendent of Police rank.
Police are to map vulnerable locations, including parks, transport hubs and isolated areas.
Evening and early-morning patrols are to be strengthened.
Authorities must audit lighting and CCTV at public parks, metro stations, bus stops and other vulnerable places, and repair or strengthen them where needed.
The court also pointed to the use of the National Database on Sexual Offenders and emergency response systems.
LatestLY reported that the court emphasised 24-hour monitoring cells to prevent sexual offences.
The bench said that inadequate lighting, poor surveillance and lax patrolling create conditions in which crimes against women can occur.
It said authorities must act on the ground and not rely on paperwork.
The matter remains under the court’s monitoring, and authorities will have to file progress reports showing the action taken.
A suo motu case is one that the court takes up on its own, without a petition from a party.
The Centre and Delhi Police are the respondents in the case, because Delhi Police reports to the Union Home Ministry.
Connaught Place, New Delhi at night (file image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
