The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction with the steps taken by State authorities 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 BD Ahmed and S Mridul also rejected the Centre’s defence that delay in inducting additional personnel in police is due to change in the 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 cognizance of the December 16 gang-rape, has been issuing a slew of directions on issues including safety of women, compensating the victims of crime, setting up more FSl facilities in the city and induction of more police personnel, including women. Advocate Meera Bhatia is appearing in the matter as amicus curiae.
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. 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.
The court directed DSlSA to hold a meeting with the Divisional Commissioner here to “work out the modalities” and place a concrete proposal on disbursal of compensation before the court by the next date of hearing, on August 6.