'Fill up posts of judges in courts dealing with rape, POCSO cases'

New Delhi: Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Tuesday directed the law department of Delhi government to fill up 35 per cent vacant posts of judges in the courts dealing with rape and POCSO cases at the earliest, said an official statement.

Chairing a meeting on women safety, Saxena also directed the officials concerned to ensure working streetlights across the city, including parks and other public places, it said.

The L-G was informed during the meeting that 35 per cent of the 22 additional posts of judges sanctioned for as many additional courts to deal with rape and POCSO cases were yet to be filled.

"The LG asked law secretary to try and get them filled at the earliest in coordination with the high court. Similar directions were issued with regard to the filling up of 192 posts of ancillary staff for these 22 additional courts, pending since long," the statement said.

The L-G also expressed disappointment that an issue as basic as street lighting was being discussed at a high-level meeting.

Stressing that lighting provision should be incorporated right at the stage of planning flyovers, buildings and green spaces like parks, he also issued instruction that the works on an integrated web portal for streetlights owned by different agencies, currently being developed by IIT-Delhi, be expedited.

He directed the agencies concerned to fix all non-functional streetlights within 24 hours of being informed. He also directed for fixing responsibility of the official concerned if repair work was not completed within a week of complaint.

Expressing concern that investigation in only 55 per cent of the rape and POCSO cases were being completed within the stipulated 120 days period, the L-G said that he had already issued instructions to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to expedite disposal of cases and directed police officials to strictly enforce compliance.

The LG also underlined the need of a campaign to sensitise young and adolescent boys through gender workshops and suitably amended curricula to ensure improved women safety scenario in the city.

He expressed satisfaction over the proposed scheme of 1,000 e-cabs, autos driven exclusively by woman being put in place in the city for safe last mile connectivity option for females and directed officials to ensure appropriate branding of the service.