Supreme Court Pushes Delhi Police On Women’s Safety, Says ‘Prevent The Crime, Not Just Catch Offenders’

The bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran was hearing the suo motu case concerning recent rape incidents in Delhi-NCR.

Justice Pardiwala said deficiencies in the system should not facilitate the commission of crimes against women. “What is important is to prevent the crime, not what you do after the crime is committed,” the Court observed.

He said there appeared to be a feeling that women were not safe in Delhi, particularly in vulnerable pockets of the city. “We must ensure that every young girl, every woman in the city of Delhi should feel safe even at 10 o’clock, 11 o’clock in the night,” Justice Pardiwala said.

The bench said the exercise was aimed at identifying “gray areas” that enabled crimes against women and making the system more deterrent. Justice Pardiwala asked the police and authorities to work together rather than treat the exercise as adversarial.

It directed authorities to identify parks based on their size and location and place before it details regarding CCTV cameras, lighting and security arrangements.

Justice Pardiwala specifically sought information on whether CCTV cameras installed at vulnerable locations were operational and functional. Referring to the recent crime in the Astha Kunj area, the Court asked authorities to ascertain the number of CCTV cameras and lights installed there and whether security personnel had been deployed.

The Court said it would issue an order setting out the areas on which the authorities would have to work after hearing the amicus curiae. The authorities would thereafter place before the Court details of how they proposed to implement the directions.

CCTV cameras alone not enough, says Supreme Court

The bench questioned the effectiveness of CCTV cameras in preventing crime if there was no continuous monitoring. Justice Pardiwala suggested the creation of a “war room” mechanism to monitor movements in vulnerable pockets and ensure a quick police response.

The Court also asked Delhi Police to strengthen surveillance of sexual offenders through the National Database on Sexual Offenders (NDSO). It directed authorities to focus on vulnerable pockets, colleges and educational institutions, illegal or unauthorised eateries, beat patrolling and police control-room van halting points.

Referring to the 2012 Delhi gangrape case, the Court noted that records had shown that the accused had consumed liquor at an eatery before boarding the bus and committing the crime. “You need to create a fright, a fear in the mind of a man who is prone to commit such offences,” Justice Pardiwala said.

The bench also stressed the importance of one-to-one interaction between police personnel and residents. It noted that locals had reportedly flagged the presence of anti-social elements in the area before the recent incident at Astha Kunj.

The Court asked officers to study its first order in the matter and begin acting immediately so that another such “dastardly crime” did not occur while the proceedings were continuing.

Parks cannot simply be locked, Supreme Court says

The Supreme Court identified public places such as parks as potentially vulnerable areas, particularly where security and illumination were inadequate.

The Court said authorities should begin working on such “small things” that could help prevent crimes against women. “It is to make public spaces safe, not inaccessible,” Justice Pardiwala said.

The bench said parks could not simply be locked or public movement restricted as a response to safety concerns. Instead, police would have to ensure surveillance, prompt response and accountability.

The Court asked authorities to track who entered and exited parks and consider whether vulnerable parks required monitoring during night hours.

Ahead of the festive season, the bench directed authorities to immediately strengthen patrolling and surveillance. With Durga Puja and Diwali approaching, the Court warned that “miscreants, goons, anti-social elements” could become more active.

The Court said the objective should be to create a deterrent fear among potential offenders.

Justice Pardiwala also asked senior police officers to “rise to the occasion” and treat women’s safety as a challenge. “Every woman, every girl molested, raped, is our sister, our mother,” the Court observed.

The matter has been listed for November 16, when senior police officers have been directed to remain personally present and place a report before the Court on the immediate measures taken.

The Court said that the exercise was not merely about compliance with judicial directions but about ensuring that preventive mechanisms were put in place on the ground.

Case Title: In Re: Recent rape incidents in Delhi NCR

Bench: Justcies JB Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran

Hearing Date: October 5, 2026