Earlier states like Bihar, Gujrat, Odisha, and Maharashtra have also provided for women quotas in the police force.
- In 2022, women made up about 12% of the state police. Chandigarh had the highest at 22%, while Jammu and Kashmir had the lowest at 3.3% (India Justice Report, 2022).
Need for more women in Police Force
- Legal Mandate: POCSO Act and major criminal laws now require every case of sexual assault to be recorded and investigated by a female police officer.
- The arrest of a woman and searching a woman must be done by a woman only.
- Better reporting of Crime Against Women: Presence of women can foster trust among female victims, encouraging them to report crimes.
- Improved police-community relations: This is because women's use of excessive force is less common.
Challenges in increasing women representation in Police
- Stereotype: Women are seen to be unfit for long and unpredictable hours of the police system.
- Policy gap: Absence of reservation policy in many states (Police is a state subject under the 7th Schedule of the Constitution)
- Implementation gap: E.g., Bihar provides 35% reservation for women, but actual number in police force is about 17.4%.
Initiatives to increase women representation in Police force
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