Supreme Court orders safety audit of Delhi's public spaces after string of attacks on women

Taking suo motu notice of a series of sexual offences in Delhi-NCR, including an alleged gang rape in a public park near a women's college and the alleged rape and murder of a teenager, the Supreme Court held that the right to live with dignity, free from fear of violence in public spaces, is part of the guarantee of life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. The Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran said expressions of concern by authorities are not a substitute for accountability, and called for status reports on whether existing safety mechanisms, the National Database on Sexual Offenders, the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences, the Emergency Response Support System (112), the Women Helpline (181) and the Safe City Project, are actually functional rather than merely existing on paper. As interim measures within four weeks, the Court directed Delhi Police to set up district-level teams to survey vulnerable public spaces, prepare a vulnerability map, audit lighting and CCTV coverage, and strictly enforce the existing ban on tinted vehicle windows laid down in Avishek Goenka v. Union of India.

The Delhi High Court was asked to report on the functioning of Fast Track Special Courts and POCSO courts and ensure pending cases are assigned to them. An amicus curiae was appointed and the matter posted for further hearing on 5 October 2026.