Yesterday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had stated that “The priority is to ensure that when a girl steps out of her home, she is not harassed.” He had also highlighted about his government’s absence of control over Delhi Police. Thus Kejriwal had invited suggestions on giving more responsibilities to Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

Kejriwal had also shared his experience regarding his family as a father of a girl in the city. “My daughter studies at IIT-Delhi and sometimes takes the Metro home even at 11pm. Until she gets back home, our hearts beat faster. Nobody can sleep until she is home. The Metro station is about 2 km from our home. We send a car to bring her back. Though I am the CM, I worry.

If I am so concerned, I can understand the feeling of a common person in Delhi,” Kejriwal said at a consultation on the Charter of Women’s Rights Bill, 2015. Kejriwal extended saying that there is no democratic control in Delhi and it was the major problem facing by the woman in the city. As the Delhi Police are under central government, they don’t listen to anyone.

Kejriwal said he had discussed this problem with Swati Maliwal, chairperson of DCW and she identified 21 grave cases of crime in which an FIR ought to be registered and the Police say ‘we won’t file FIR, do what you like’ said Kejriwal in the meeting held by Delhi Dialogue Commission. He also said they sought opinion from lawyers and were told the DCW could approach a magistrate to order investigation.

“How many 156 (3) cases will the DCW file? The police will thrust 200-250 cases on them and the DCW will spend its life filing cases under 156 (3). I would therefore urge all of you to figure out what powers the DCW should be given. We will do it immediately. Whatever you suggest, we will bring a bill in the next session. We need practical, legal and implementable ideas,” Kejriwal added. Kejriwal stated that “It is important to make women and their families feel safe when they are out on the streets of Delhi.”

Delhi is all set to become the first state in India to implement the recommendations of Justice JS Verma Committee. These recommendations are constituted after 2012 gang rape in Delhi. Delhi was also first in other aspects. The Charter of the Women’s Rights Bill, 2015 that the DDC placed in the public domain on August 5, also made Delhi the first state to take a policy decision that specifies equality before the law for every woman “irrespective of sexual orientation”.