Dec 16 gangrape: HC irked over non-compliance of its orders

Court has been issuing slew of directions on issues including safety of women, compensating victims of crime, setting up more FSL facilities in the city

The Delhi High Court today expressed dissatisfaction with the steps taken by authorities here in implementing its orders with respect to payment of compensation to rape victims, setting up of forensic labs and recruitment of additional personnel in the city police.

A bench of justices B D Ahmed and S Mridul also rejected the Centre's defence that delay in inducting additional personnel in police is due to change in government.

"It does not matter who comes to power. Bureaucrats remain the same," the court observed and added, "A larger police force is the crying need of the hour, and we are of the view that the government should not hold back on this aspect".

The court, which had taken suo motu cognisance of the December 16 gangrape, has been issuing slew of directions on issues including safety of women, compensating victims of crime, setting up more FSL facilities in the city and induction of more police personnel, including women.

During the hearing, the court was not satisfied with Delhi government's status report on funds disbursed to rape victims and time taken for the same, saying even now there is a delay of four to six months in disbursal of funds.

The bench suggested that there should be a single window mechanism where a victim awarded compensation can immediately receive the amount given by the Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA).

"We are not satisfied with the action taken by any of them pursuant to our order of April 16, 2014. In the first place, with respect to disbursal of compensation to rape victims, we find no material progress has been made and delay in disbursal continues to range between four to six months.

"We feel victims ought to be compensated immediately after it is awarded by the Legal Services Authority. For this we feel there should be a single window, where award can be presented and compensation can be paid. For this to materialise it is necessary that a payment mechanism is available at each legal services authority office," the court said.