Barricades Continue To Remain Unmanned In Delhi At Various Places: High Court Seeks Detailed Report From Police

The Delhi High Court on Monday said unmanned barricades continue to be spotted on the roads in the national capital, while seeking a detailed report on the number of barricades put up by Delhi Police and Resident Welfare Associations under each of the police stations.

The division bench of Justice Mukta Gupta and Justice Anish Dayal said either there be no barricades and if they have to be put on the roads for security reasons, they have to be manned; adding that Resident Welfare Associations also have a duty to regulate the use of barricades and cannot leave them unmanned.

"We can't do anything with this status report when practically it [order] is not being complied with, what do we do," the court told the Delhi Police.

The police had earlier issued a revised standing order assuring the court that policemen have been instructed to ensure that no barricade on the roads remains unmanned.

In the order passed today, the court said: "It has been pointed out to the Ld. Standing Counsel that despite the undertaking that there will be a compliance of the revised standing order, still at various places in Delhi, unmanned barricades are found at the spot. Wherever there are night barricades, the same are to be manned by the Delhi Police and in case the barricades are at the request of RWA, they should be manned by RWA so as that there is no hindrance to any person who has to pass through the place at night in emergency," said the court.

Directing the police to submit a report on the instances of violation pointed out during the hearing, the court also asked the police to submit a complete report indicating the number of barricades put up by the Delhi Police and RWAs.

"The status report would also include whether the night patrolling staff informs the concerned SHO in case any unmanned barricades are found at night by RWA or the Delhi Police and if so found what action is found taken thereof," the court said.

During the hearing, it observed that "police station area is not such that one or two night patrols cannot have a vigil area on the entire area. It is their duty and they do it. They are supposed to do it. If they find some place is unmanned, what action do they take? Please file a report as to in how many cases the patrolling staff has informed that these barriers of RWA were unmanned."

The court also said it would not go into individual matters as a mechanism has been provided for filing of complaints. It also clarified that the case is not restricted to a particular area of Delhi. 

"They said it will be all manned barricades. If the RWA is not manning, it is their [police] duty to supervise and take action," the bench said. 

Delhi Police in September had informed the High Court that it has issued a new standing order instructing that the complaints relating to unattended barricades can be immediately reported on 112 helpline or Twitter by tagging social media handle of the traffic police.

The court has been hearing a suo motu PIL regarding the issue of unmanned police barricades in the national capital. 

Case Title: COURT ON ITS OWN MOTION V. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE AND ORS