The Supreme Court has appointed Senior Advocate Liz Mathew as amicus curiae to assist it in examining the broader issues concerning the safety of women and children in Delhi-NCR, following its suo motu cognizance of a series of recent sexual assault cases in the region.
A Bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K Vinod Chandran initiated the proceedings after taking note of media reports concerning multiple incidents involving women and minor girls. The Court said the reported episodes raised serious concerns regarding the ability of law-enforcement and civil authorities to ensure safety in public spaces.
The Court specifically referred to the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park in Delhi, reports of the gang rape and murder of a teenage girl in the Swaroop Nagar area, and an alleged sexual assault of a minor inside a moving sleeper bus which travelled more than 47 kilometres from Greater Noida towards Delhi without being intercepted by law-enforcement authorities.
The Bench observed that the incidents could not be considered in isolation and pointed to broader concerns regarding institutional preparedness, surveillance, patrolling and preventive policing. It noted that earlier complaints of sexual harassment in the vicinity of Aastha Kunj Park had also been reported, yet the concerns apparently did not result in adequate corrective measures.
Drawing a comparison with the circumstances that triggered nationwide concern following the 2012 Nirbhaya case, the Court questioned whether the institutional mechanisms responsible for protecting women had made sufficient progress over the intervening years.
The Bench emphasised that the constitutional guarantee of life and personal liberty under Article 21 encompasses the right to live with dignity and without the constant apprehension of violence. It further underscored that public places—including parks, roads, buses, metro stations, subways and footbridges—cannot effectively become unsafe zones because of deficiencies such as inadequate lighting, poor surveillance or insufficient police presence.
The Court also made it clear that official expressions of concern or solidarity, by themselves, cannot constitute an adequate institutional response to recurring crimes against women and children. It called for concrete measures accompanied by identifiable responsibility and accountability.
As part of the proceedings, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Chief Secretary of the Government of NCT of Delhi, the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, and the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court.
The Court has also sought a coordinated response from the concerned authorities on measures required to identify vulnerable locations and strengthen preventive mechanisms. Among the issues arising for consideration are the adequacy of policing, surveillance infrastructure, illumination and other safety measures in public areas.
The appointment of Liz Mathew as amicus curiae is intended to assist the Bench in examining these questions from a broader institutional and legal perspective. The Registry has been directed to furnish her with a copy of the Court’s order along with the newspaper reports relied upon while initiating the proceedings.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 5, 2026.
The proceedings mark a significant judicial examination of the preventive and administrative architecture governing the safety of women and children in the National Capital Region, with the Court seeking accountability beyond the investigation of individual criminal cases.
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