Supreme Court Acts on PIL for Women’s Safety: Centre’s Response Awaited
Twelve years ago, the Nirbhaya case shook India to its core. Protests filled the streets, laws were strengthened, and promises were made. But today, as we look around, we must ask, has anything really changed?
The Supreme Court, on 16 December 2024, issued a notice to the centre on a PIL* by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA), which calls for urgent, nationwide safety measures for women, children, and transgender persons. The petition couldn’t be more timely, coming just months after the gruesome rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata. (Read more here).
"Where Are We Failing?"
Despite strict laws, cases of sexual violence continue to make headlines. From incidents in public transport to the streets of our cities, safety seems like a distant dream for many.
“We’ve had laws since Nirbhaya. Yet, crimes are rising. Where are we failing?”
The Supreme Court bench, led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, echoed this concern. “Stringent laws exist, but we must see where we are lacking in implementation,” they observed, issuing a notice to the Centre and state governments to respond by January 2025.
Radical Demands or Controversial Solutions?
The petition proposes sweeping changes, some of which sparked debate. Among them is mandatory chemical castration** for convicted rapists, a practice used in South Korea and Indonesia. The Supreme Court, however, dismissed this as “barbaric.”
Other demands included:
- Setting up a National Sex Offenders Registry to track criminals
- Installing more streetlights and CCTV cameras
- Gender-sensitization programs in schools and workplaces
- Strict timelines for trials in heinous sexual crimes (no more than six months)
- Proper social behavior in public transport to be taught and enforced
- Martial arts training for girls in schools
- Ethical behavior training for cab drivers
- Adequate toilets for women in public spaces
Should safety be a one-time thing or a daily priority?
In August, President Droupadi Murmu expressed her anguish over the Kolkata case, recalling the horror of Nirbhaya. “It’s disheartening to see that such incidents are not isolated. What’s more depressing is our collective amnesia—we forget, we move on,” she said.
The petition forces us to reflect: why do we only wake up after tragedies? Why isn’t safety a daily priority?
The Supreme Court has promised to revisit this in January.
Until then, one question looms large: will these ideas bring real change? Laws are only as good as their enforcement, and safety requires more than promises. It demands action.
What do you think?
Can stricter laws and better systems make a difference?
Or is it time for a cultural shift in how we think about safety and respect? Or perhaps both?
Glossary
* PIL (Public Interest Litigation) is a legal petition filed in a court to address issues that affect the public or a large group of people, rather than just one individual. It allows anyone (not just the affected party) to approach the court to seek justice for matters of public concern, like environmental protection, women’s safety, or human rights. Simply put, a PIL gives ordinary citizens a way to fight for the greater good and hold authorities accountable.
** Chemical castration is a medical procedure where certain drugs are used to reduce a person’s sexual drive or activity. These drugs lower testosterone levels, which can suppress sexual urges. It’s often used as a punishment or treatment for people convicted of serious sexual crimes in some countries. Unlike surgical castration, it doesn’t involve any physical removal of organs, and its effects can be reversed if the treatment is stopped.
Author
