Supreme Court directions on Eve Teasing

While hearing, The Deputy Inspector General of Police & ANR. Vs. S. Samuthiram (Decided on November 30, 2012), a Civil Appeal(No. 8513 of 2012) arising out of SLP (C) No.31592 of 2008 a bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice Dipak Misra, of Honourable Supreme Court in public interest, gave following directions to curb Eve teasing:

  • All the State Governments and Union Territories are directed to depute plain clothed female police officers in the precincts of bus-stands and stops, railway stations, metro stations, cinema theaters  shopping malls, parks, beaches, public service vehicles, places of worship etc. so as to monitor and supervise incidents of Eve teasing.
  • There will be a further direction to the State Government and Union Territories to install CCTV in strategic positions which itself would be a deterrent and if detected, the offender could be caught.
  • Persons in-charge of the educational institutions, places of worship, cinema theaters, railway stations, bus-stands have to take steps as they deem fit to prevent Eve teasing, within their precincts and, on a complaint being made, they must pass on the information to the nearest police station or the Women’s Help Centre.
  • Where any incident of Eve teasing is committed in a public service vehicle either by the passengers or the persons in charge of the vehicle, the crew of such vehicle shall, on a complaint made by the aggrieved person, take such vehicle to the nearest police station and give information to the police. Failure to do so should lead to cancellation of the permit to ply.
  • State Governments and Union Territories are directed to establish Women’ Helpline in various cities and towns, so as to curb Eve teasing within three months.
  • Suitable boards cautioning such act of Eve teasing be exhibited in all public places including precincts of educational institutions, bus stands, railway stations, cinema theaters, parties, beaches, public service vehicles, places of worship etc.
  • Responsibility is also on the passers-by and on noticing such incident; they should also report the same to the nearest police station or to Women Helpline to save the victims from such crimes.
  • The State Governments and Union Territories of India would take adequate and effective measures by issuing suitable instructions to the concerned authorities including the District Collectors and the District Superintendent of Police so as to take effective and proper measures to curb such incidents of Eve teasing.