- SC took suo motu cognizance of Delhi-NCR rape and assault cases.
- Court highlighted systemic failure by law enforcement and public authorities.
- Questioned public place safety, recalling 2012 Nirbhaya incident parallels.
The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of multiple rape and sexual assault cases reported in Delhi-NCR, including the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at a park near Delhi’s Kalkaji Mandir and the alleged assault of a minor inside a moving sleeper bus.
A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran said the recent cases reflected major lapses by law enforcement agencies and public administrative authorities.
“The reports of rape cases in Delhi-NCR starkly underline a systematic failure on the part of the law enforcement and the public administrative authorities to guarantee basic public safety,” PTI quoted the bench.
The court said incidents like these bring back memories of the 2012 Nirbhaya case, observing that “one cannot help but draw painful parallels to the Nirbhaya incident of 2012.”
The court observed that the right to live with dignity and free from fear of violence is an integral part of the fundamental right to life and personal liberty enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.
SC Questions Safety Arrangements In Public Places
During the hearing, the Supreme Court raised concerns over security arrangements in public spaces, including buses and parks.
The bench said such places cannot become high-risk areas for women due to poor lighting, lack of surveillance or inadequate administrative facilities.
The court also stressed that merely expressing sympathy after such incidents is not enough and that accountability must be fixed for failures leading to such crimes.
What Was The 2012 Nirbhaya Case?
The 2012 Nirbhaya case involved the gang rape and subsequent death of a 23-year-old paramedical student inside a moving bus in Delhi. The incident triggered nationwide protests and led to major changes in laws related to sexual offences.
Six accused were involved in the case. One died in prison, four convicts were later executed at Tihar Jail, while one accused was a juvenile at the time of the crime.
The Supreme Court’s observations came while hearing the Delhi-NCR bus rape case and examining broader concerns over women’s safety in public spaces.