The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a PIL filed by a former woman IAS officer seeking directions to the Government for ensuring safety of women and for conducting fast-track court proceedings in all rape cases.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir will tomorrow hear the PIL which has also sought suspension of MPs and MLAs in case a charge-sheet is filed against them for crime against women.

In her PIL, retired IAS officer Promilla Shanker has pleaded with the court to direct the Government to set up fast-track courts in all states for expeditious trial of rape cases.

She has also submitted that rape and crime cases against women and children must be investigated by lady police officials and trial must be conducted by lady judges.

Meanwhile, another Bench comprising Justices P. Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi has issued notices to the Centre and all the states and sought their response on another PIL by advocate Mukesh Kumar seeking safety measures for women.

Kumar, in his PIL, demanded creation of women police stations in every town to investigate the complaints of rape and sexual assault against women.

It has also sought steps for the implementation of UN convention on elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

The court has asked the Centre and the states to file their responses in four weeks.

The PILs come in the backdrop of the nation-wide outrage over December 16 brutal gang-rape and assault of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi, who died in a Singapore hospital on December 29.

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