She spent the wee hours of Wednesday morning at Kalyanpuri police station waiting for the SHO to show up. She was told that he was out on patrol duty but she wanted him summoned. Repeated wireless messages failed to track him. After waiting for two hours at the Thana, she called up the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge and said the truant SHO ought to be suspended for dereliction of duty.

Apart from distributing portfolios held by sacked transport and excise minister Rajendra Gupta between new man Devender Singh and the five who served under Sahib Singh, Swaraj today promised to tackle ``at least two issues of immediate concern'' every day.

Though the new Chief Minister's night patrol has been cynically brushed aside by some as as a mere ``publicity gimmick'', Swaraj emphatically clarified that she has sinceeven persuaded Home Minister L K Advani to come out on the streets of Delhi and monitor the situation himself. ``The day the Home Minister is out on the streets of Delhi, the law and order situation will improve,'' she declared.

Swaraj described in detail her night at the Kalyanpuri police station, complete with the exact time and sequence of events. ``I had said that I would stay awake all night so that Delhiites could sleep and that is exactly what we are going to do,'' she said.

``Every minister in my cabinet will take turns and be on night patrol, every day of the week. In fact, at the Northern region Chief Ministers' meeting, I clearly stated that even though law and order was not under the state government, the people of Delhi hold us responsible for the situation.''

These night patrols are supposed to provide feedback to the Lt Governor and the Union Home ministry, so that the law and order situation in the city can be improved.

Having proved her point, Swaraj moved on to make the otherannouncements for today, which included a brief on the distribution of portfolios. While all ministers retain their prior portfolios, new member Devender Singh gets transport and development. Former transport minister Rajendra Gupta's excise portfolio has been given to Jagdish Mukhi and Swaraj has kept law and justice for herself.

From law and order to onions, the new Chief Minister has promised the press at least two main announcements when she meets them at 3 pm everyday. ``Decisions on all immediate issues will be taken without delay,'' she clarified.