SUPREME COURT FLAGS SYSTEMIC GAPS IN DELHI PUBLIC SAFETY AFTER RECENT SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES

September 29, 2026

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a series of recent sexual assault cases in Delhi-NCR, questioning whether law-enforcement and public administrative mechanisms have adequately protected women and children in public spaces.

A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran said the incidents indicated what it described as a “systematic failure” to guarantee basic public safety. The Court stressed that the right to live with dignity and without fear of violence forms part of the fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The Court referred to several recent cases, including the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park, the alleged rape and murder of a teenage girl in Swaroop Nagar, and the alleged sexual assault of a minor inside a moving bus that travelled from Greater Noida to Delhi.

The Bench directed the Delhi Police to conduct an immediate audit of vulnerable public locations, including parks, roads, transport hubs, markets and areas around educational institutions. Dedicated teams are to examine shortcomings involving lighting, CCTV surveillance, patrolling, access control and other safety arrangements, with a report to be submitted to the Court by October 5.

The Supreme Court also emphasised that expressions of concern or solidarity following such incidents cannot replace concrete institutional action. It said responsibility and accountability must be established among authorities responsible for crime prevention, public order and protection of vulnerable people.

The proceedings will examine the broader functioning of Delhi’s public-safety mechanisms rather than determine the criminal liability of individuals accused in the separate cases. The Court has appointed senior advocate Liz Mathew as amicus curiae to assist it in the matter.