States asked to raise women's representation in police force to 33%: Govt

The Centre has issued multiple advisories to states to increase the representation of women in police force to 33 per cent, but their actual strength as on January 1, 2022 stood at 11.75 per cent, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories dated April 22, 2013, May 21, 2014, May 12, 2015, June 21, 2019, June 22, 2021 and April 13, 2022 to all the state governments to increase the representation of women police to 33 per cent of the total strength.

"According to data compiled by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), as on January 1, 2022, the actual strength of women police personnel is 11.75 per cent at all India level," he said in a written reply to a question.

Ladakh has the highest percentage of women in police force (28.3 per cent), followed by Andhra Pradesh (21.7 per cent), Chandigarh (21.6 per cent) and Bihar (21.2 per cent). States with least share of women in police are Jammu and Kashmir (3.2 per cent), Tripura (5.29 per cent) and Meghalaya (5.9 per cent).

The minister said all state governments have been requested to create additional posts of women constables, sub-inspectors by converting the vacant posts of constables and sub-inspectors.

The aim is that each police station should have at least three women sub-inspectors and 10 women police constables, so that a women help desk is functional round the clock, he said.