NEW DELHI: Reiterating the duty of law enforcement personnel to maintain decorum, the Delhi High Court has said that police officers must uphold the dignity of women and avoid using any inappropriate or unparliamentary language while interacting with them.
The observation came as the court took up a petition filed by Thoppani Sanjeev Rao, who had sought the framing of specific guidelines mandating that women be treated respectfully in police stations. The petitioner had urged that the use of objectionable language by police be explicitly prohibited.
Justice Sanjeev Narula, however, declined to issue such directions, noting that these expectations were already implicit in the conduct required of public servants. “The court finds no reason to frame any such guidelines. It is beyond dispute that police officials are expected to treat women with dignity and must refrain from using inappropriate or unparliamentary language. Hence, the prayer sought is misconceived,” the judge said in the order passed on October 14.
Rao had also sought an inquiry into her complaint that had been registered by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
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