NGO urges improvements for 'mahila' desks at police stations

Several police stations in the city lack the proper mechanism to handle cases involving women as either complainants or accused, a group of law interns have pointed out in a study.
The study of 'mahila' desks at 14 police stations in the Jaipur (East) area was carried out by students interning with NGO, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).
"The functioning of the 'mahila' desk at many of these police stations is unsatisfactory.
"There is a shortage of female staff for the desk at most police stations and 'mahila' desks at 10 of the 14 police stations are being headed by male officers," one of the students told reporters today.

"Complaint registers have not been maintained properly and, at four police stations, there is no separate cell for women... Facility of drinking water, toilets are also unsatisfactory," the student noted.
PUCL General Secretary Kavita Srivastava said there was a need to strengthen the 'mahila' desks so that women may confidently approach the police.