‘Who Will Ensure Women Feel Safe at 10 PM?’ Supreme Court Pulls Up Authorities Over Delhi Crimes

New Delhi, October 5: The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Centre and Delhi Police over measures to ensure the safety of women in the national capital, stressing that women must be able to move freely without fear even at night.

A bench headed by Justice J.B. Pardiwala, hearing a suo motu case concerning recent rape and sexual assault incidents in Delhi-NCR, said authorities must ensure that every woman in the National Capital Territory feels safe, whether walking on the streets at 10 pm or travelling by metro or road. 

The Court's intervention comes amid growing concerns over the safety of women and girls following a series of reported sexual offences in Delhi and neighbouring areas. The bench has been focusing not merely on action after crimes occur, but on preventive policing and continuous monitoring of vulnerable locations.

The Supreme Court has previously questioned whether authorities have an effective mechanism to continuously monitor vulnerable pockets and respond promptly to incidents. It has also stressed the need for stronger deterrence against potential offenders. 

In an earlier hearing, the Court said public places such as parks, roads, buses, metro stations, subways and footbridges cannot be allowed to become “zones of high risk” because of inadequate lighting, poor surveillance or insufficient patrolling. It called for measurable action and accountability from authorities responsible for preventing crime and maintaining public order. 

Following a recent alleged gang-rape in Aastha Kunj Park, Delhi Police had also increased night patrolling, with senior officers assigned to remain on duty between 10 pm and 2 am. Police control-room teams were instructed to patrol crime hotspots and dark or isolated areas and identify non-functional streetlights and CCTV cameras. 

The Supreme Court's latest observations place renewed emphasis on the responsibility of law-enforcement and civic authorities to create safe public spaces, rather than expecting women to restrict their movements after dark.

The central question before the authorities, therefore, is not simply what action will be taken after a crime, but whether adequate policing, surveillance, lighting, public transport security and rapid-response mechanisms are in place to prevent such crimes in the first place.