SUPREME COURT TAKES SUO MOTU NOTICE OF RECENT DELHI-NCR SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES

September 28, 2026

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a series of recent sexual assault cases involving women and minors in Delhi and the National Capital Region, directing the registration of a suo motu public interest case.

A bench of Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran expressed concern over incidents reported in public spaces, including an alleged rape of a minor in a park and the alleged sexual assault of a minor on a moving bus. The court said such incidents raised questions about public safety and law-enforcement mechanisms.

The bench observed that public places such as parks, roads, buses and other transport facilities cannot become high-risk areas because of inadequate lighting, surveillance or patrolling. It also referred to the constitutional guarantee under Article 21 of the right to live with dignity and without fear of violence.

The court directed its Registry to register the matter on its own motion and sought accountability from the authorities responsible for preventing crime and maintaining public safety. The proceedings will examine the reported security shortcomings and the response of law-enforcement agencies across the Delhi-NCR region.

The Supreme Court's intervention places renewed focus on preventive policing, surveillance and the protection of women and children in public spaces.