A division bench comprising Justice Anil Dev Singh and Justice Mukul Mudgal said that the Centre could also consider pruning of VIP security. They observed that of the 56,000 men in the Delhi Police only half were maintaining law and order, preventing crime and investigating cases. Police Commissioner Virendra Narain Singh and director, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Ravi Kant Chopra were present in the court.

Around 27,000 to 29,000 men were tied up with VIP and allied duties. The police have admitted that this year up to July 1998, 35,550 cases (1,593 heinous and 32,031 non-heinous) were registered. ``This alarming situation calls for drastic action so that the common man feels safe,'' Justice Singh and Justice Mudgal observed.

The bench said that the number of police personnel on crime prevention duties are not sufficient. ``To remedy the situation either some of the personnel who are looking after the security duties of VIPs should be reverted back for the purposes of policing and the VIP security can be looked after by a separate force,'' the bench said. The Judges also suggested that in case a separate force could be formed then the strength of the Delhi Police should be increased accordingly.

Justices Anil Dev Singh and Mukul Mudgal, however, left it to the Union Government to decide whether the strength of the police force ought to be increased or policemen on VIP duties be reverted back to routine policing. When the bench said that the government could consider pruning VIP security, MHA director Chopra submitted that the process was already underway and its results would be made available to the court on the next date of hearing. The bench said that in accordance with the Srivastava Committee report, at least 42 more police stations should be setup in the Capital.

The committee had reviewed policing in the Capital after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and also suggested induction of 27,000 more personnel into the force. The court passed this and several other directions after hearing counsel for MHA Rakesh Tikku, Delhi Police counsel S.K. Aggarwal and petitioner counsel Rajeev Awasthi. The court had summoned the police chief for personal appearance to explain the law and order situation in the Capital.

Commissioner V.N. Singh submitted that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was making the land available for setting up of police stations at institutional rates which created difficulty for the police in locating funds.