The Supreme Court on Delhi Rape Cases has suo motu taken cognisance of several recent cases of sexual assault cases in the National Capital Region, wondering about whether sufficient measures have been taken by the concerned authorities to secure women and children in public places. In a direction issued on September 28, a Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran ordered that a suo motu case be registered and authorities be held accountable.
Supreme Court on Delhi rape cases: What did the court say?
Speaking about the series of incidents, the Bench termed the incidents as highlighting the “systematic failure” on the part of the concerned authorities in ensuring public safety. Speaking about the case of sexual assault of a minor girl inside a sleeper bus, which traveled a distance of 47 km from Greater Noida to Delhi without being stopped anywhere, Justice Pardiwala said that the incident is reminiscent of the Nirbhaya rape case of 2012.
It further emphasized that the mere expression of solidarity is inadequate in such matters and that there should be identification of lacunae and concrete measures for prevention of sexual violence. It is all about institutional measures and accountability rather than adjudication of the liability of those accused in the separate criminal cases.
Delhi Police asked to audit public spaces
An audit of the vulnerable spots in Delhi such as parks, streets, public transport and other public places has been ordered by the Supreme Court. It is to be presumed that the audit will look into the issues of street lights, surveillance cameras, surveillance and safety arrangements.
It came after some recent incidents in Delhi-NCR region such as a gang rape case at Aastha Kunj park and another one where a minor girl was sexually assaulted in a sleeper bus.
Why the Supreme Court’s action matters
If you are a commuter in Delhi or a student at IIT Bombay, your safety should not come from simply knowing which areas to avoid and going back home at an earlier time. By focusing on lighting, surveillance and policing, the Court highlights the systems in place that ought to keep commuters safe.
DemocraX has also discussed the students’ grievances and their demands at IIT Bombay in the article on the protest . You can check the official website of the Supreme Court for updates regarding the court and the Indian Express report on the suo motu case for more information.
The important thing now is how the authorities react to the audit of the safety systems. What the court is really trying to find out is if the systems put in place are actually working in practice and not only in theory.
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