A parliamentary panel on Thursday questioned the Delhi Police chief over the gang rape incident in the capital and pointed out deficiencies like vacancies at officer level and lack of vehicles to patrol the streets. Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home to face questions on growing atrocities against women in Delhi. When the committee was discussing paucity of women constables in the force, Kumar is learnt to have said that more women constables will be recruited.

Congress member Sandeep Dikshit, who had recently demanded the resignation of Kumar in the wake of police action against protesters on Sunday, is understood to have said there was a disconnect between officers sitting in rooms and those on the ground. He said that officials below Station House Officer rank act on their own giving little regard to orders from superiors.
The committee will meet again on January 4th when Kumar will provide a written response to questions which could not be answered today.
Home Secretary R K Singh, who was also to appear before the panel, could not attend.

Meanwhile, committee chairman M Venkaiah Naidu informed the members that the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, introducedin Lok Sabha during the Winter Session, would be referred to the panel soon.

The bill seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act,1872, by replacing the word 'rape' by the words 'sexual assault' to make the offence of sexual assault gender neutral and also widening its scope.

It also seeks to make acid attack a specific offence and enhance the punishment.