New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS): Holding that there was no safety for women on Delhi's roads, the Supreme Court Court said Friday: "We are failing to treat women with dignity, equality and respect."

The observation came as the court issued notice to the central government, the National Commission for Women and the Delhi government's State Transport Authority on a public suit questioning the validity of the two finger test conducted on rape victims.

The court was told that the invasive two finger test was against the dignity of women.

The suit also sought the setting up of a criminal injury compensation board in the country.

An apex court bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice Dipak Misra issued the notice on a petition filed by Nipun Saxena, a fourth year student of Delhi's National Law University.

Saxena contended that the court's direction 16 years ago to establish the compensation board had not been followed so far.

The notice was issued to the State Transport Authority on the plea that permits of private buses that do not complay with the Motor Vehicles Act should not be renewed.

The public suit comes in the wake of the gang-rape of a 23-year-old woman in a moving bus Dec 16 and her subsequent death in a Singapore hospital where she was airlifted for specialised treatment. The indident sparked outrage across India and led to calls for stricter laws against rape and molestation of women.