Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “Push for more women police, this time in the police” which was published in the Hindu. With the passing of Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 in both Houses of  Parliament for strengthening women representation in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, it’s now a time to focus on strengthening women representation in the law enforcement agencies.

Available Reservation for Women in Police Forces

• Most States have a policy to fill up 30% or 33% of the vacant posts with women in their police forces through horizontal reservation. 
• The reservation for women in the State armed police forces is restricted to 10% in some States. 

Women Police: Current Statistics

• As per ‘Data on Police Organizations’, a publication by the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D): From January 1, 2017, to January 1, 2021,  the representation of women in the State police force is about 7.28% and 10.47% of the total available force, respectively. 
• The Minister of State of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA): Informed the Rajya Sabha in February 2023 that the representation of women police force (as of January 1, 2022) remained at 11.7% of the total State police force.
• The National Crime Records Bureau Data: About 10% of the total crime defined under the Indian Penal Code was committed against women and about 5.3% of total arrested persons in 2021 were women. 

Women Police Representation State-Wise

• Maximum and Minimum Representation of Women Police: Chandigarh has a maximum percentage of women (about 22%) in the women police force, while Jammu and Kashmir has the minimum (about 3.3%). 
• States with no Policy: As per details published by the BPR&D (as on January 1, 2021), a few States such as Kerala, Mizoram and Goa do not have a policy of reservation for women in the police force. 

Need for More Women Police

• Mandate: As per laws certain reports and statements are to be mandatorily recorded by a woman police officer. 
  • Arrest and search of a woman accused must be done by a woman police officer.
• Insufficient Number: The available women police force is insufficient even in dealing with cases related to women. 
  • Though the MHA has repeatedly asked States to increase the representation of women in the police force to 33%, the actual availability remains low.
• Need: Women are also needed for law-and-order and day-to-day duties. 
• The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act: It has further enlarged the scope of women recruitment in the police force.
• Permanent Recruitment Board: Many States do not have a permanent police recruitment board and do not have a free hand to undertake recruitment at regular intervals.

Also read: Role Of Women And Women’s Organization

Earlier taken Steps for Women Police

• Financing: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) began providing financial incentives from 2018-19 to States that implement police reforms to a satisfactory level.
• Merging women police with the regular police. 
• The establishment of the Women Police Recruitment Board.
  • However many states were not enthusiastic about implementing this, and, consequently, did not get this benefit. 
• Women Desk: The MHA also provided a special grant to encourage States to establish a ‘women desk’ in every police station. 
  • But there are not enough women personnel to handle them in the districts. 
• Modernisation Plan: Sanction of the MHA provision in the modernisation plan to build separate toilets for women staff, and ensure crèche facilities for children in every police station.

Also read: Women Empowerment Schemes, Government Initiatives 

The Path Ahead for Women Police

• Encouragement: Efforts should be made to encourage more women to join the police force.
• Environment with Infrastructure: For more women to join the police force, a conductive environment and basic infrastructure are a minimum necessity. 
• Uniformity in Laws: A uniform Police Act for the entire country may help the Centre frame uniform standards for women police also. 
• Need for the Women Police Recruitment Board: Every State should have a recruitment board to ensure recruitment on a regular basis. 
• Action Oriented Approach: A special drive should be launched by all States and Union Territories to recruit more women and increase their representation in the police force.

Conclusion

‘Police’ being a ‘State’ subject in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, the implementation of ‘police reforms’ remains primarily a concern of the States. It is undisputed that women police can handle any assignment in a police institution. They have already proved their zeal and qualities in most police duties. In a democratic country, every institution needs to be truly representative of its populace to win their trust.