# SC blames Delhi police for systemic failure on women’s safety 2026-09-29T00:46:38+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets The Supreme Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of recent sexual assaults on minors in Delhi, accusing law enforcement of systemic failure. The bench drew direct parallels to the 2012 Nirbhaya case and said expressions of concern, devoid of accountability, fall short. It ordered Delhi's police commissioner to audit all public spaces for safety gaps. The court cited three recent incidents: the gang rape of a 17-year-old at Aastha Kunj Park, the rape and murder of a teenager in Swaroop Nagar, and the sexual assault of a minor inside a bus from Greater Noida to Delhi. It criticised inadequate lighting, poor surveillance and lax patrolling. A status report on local safety measures and use of the National Database on Sexual Offenders must be filed. The police are to submit the audit by October 5. Citizens can also flag vulnerable spots. The court has also sought details on the functioning of fast-track courts for sex offences. Meanwhile, Times of India reports a separate Delhi High Court PIL on city safety has lost momentum since 2023. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Supreme Court's sharp rebuke of Delhi's law enforcement framing is the strongest across all sources, foregrounding a direct comparison to the 2012 Nirbhaya case. Times of India's report focuses instead on a separate Delhi High Court PIL that has lost momentum since 2023, implying the higher court's intervention may be a longer-term mechanism. Siasat.com and Hindustan Times report the same SC proceedings but differ slightly in detail: Siasat leads with the systemic failure language and includes the three specific cases, while Hindustan Times adds specific deadlines and the police audit directive. The uniform thread across all three is that the court demanded measurable accountability, not just expressions of concern. The SC has set October 5 as the deadline for the police audit report. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (government critical) Leads with SC's systemic failure language and accountability demand, focuses on institutional failure - siasat.com (neutral report) Straight wire copy of SC proceedings, lists three cases verbatim, neutral tone - hindustantimes.com (government critical) Leads with censure language, includes deadlines and audit details from court orders Tags: Delhi High Court, Delhi Police, Nirbhaya case, Supreme Court of India Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-takes-cognisance-of-delhi-crimes-against-women/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-takes-cognisance-of-delhi-crimes-against-women/#story-in-brief