Maliwal writes to Fin Min over Delhi Police force expansion

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Friday wrote a letter to the Ministry of Finance seeking information about the action taken on proposals received since 2005 for the expansion of the Delhi Police force.

Maliwal, who is on an indefinite fast for the last eight days, is demanding death penalty for those accused of raping minors and setting up fast-track courts to deal with rape cases and completing the trial within six months, questioned the delay in increasing the manpower of the police force.

"We are informed that initially, Delhi Police first sought 66,000 additional police personnel. Thus began the long and humiliating ordeal of the Delhi Police Force as well as the women and children in the Capital as files have moved back and forth between various ministries of the Centre for the last many years," she wrote in the letter.

Stressing that the national capital reported cases of sexual assault on three children every day, Maliwal said that the delay in increasing manpower of the Delhi Police was affecting speedy justice to the victims.

"A recent study conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation found Delhi to be 'rape capital' of the world. A major impediment to ensuring speedy justice to these innocent little victims is the time taken in the investigation and moreover, the quality of investigation done by the police. Since long, a need has been felt by the police itself to augment its resources by increasing its manpower," she added.

Expressing concern that the 'severe crunch' of the city police force led to increased crime rates day by day, Maliwal continued, "While the acute shortage of staff felt by the Delhi Police itself may or may not seem urgent on files but at the grassroots, it's having a dangerous effect. As it is, even the sanctioned strength of police personnel per police station is extremely inadequate given the severe workload on each police personnel as well as the demands of the profession. But most, unfortunately, even the sanctioned strengths remain unfilled by over 40 percent to 50 percent. Needlessly to say, this severe crunch of staff is leading to greater crime rates day by day."

The DCW chief demanded the details of action taken on each proposal since 2005, reasons for non-approval of personnel as sought by the Delhi Police, details of proposals approved till date by the Finance Ministry, details of proposals pending in the Finance Ministry till date and proposed timeline for approval of pending proposals of the Delhi Police.

Maliwal continued that it was informed through media reports that the Centre, at one point, said that it did not have sufficient funds (to the tune of only Rs 425 crores) to augment the Delhi Police force and to ensure the protection of women and girls of Delhi.