Reservation for women in police
Context:
- Within a few years, women will make up at least 33% of India’s legislative body. Both Houses of Parliament have approved the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023. Increasing the representation of women in the policy-making process is the aim of this amendment.
Reservation and real-time availability in law enforcement:
- When minimum reserved vacant posts in each category of SC, ST, Other Backward Classes, and un-reserved with women on merit are not filled, women candidates are pushed up in the list to make up the difference. This is how the majority of States implement their policies, which require them to fill thirty or thirty-three percent of vacant posts (of direct recruitment) with women in their police forces through horizontal reservation.
- In certain States, the percentage of women who can join the armed police forces is limited to 10%.
- Typically, women are hired to fill positions that are advertised once the government gives its approval.
- A few States, like Kerala, Mizoram, and Goa, do not have a policy of reservation for women in the police force, but the percentage of women in these States varies from 6% to 11%, according to information released by the BPR&D.
- Despite the MHA’s repeated requests, just a small percentage of women actually work as police officers—roughly 33 percent.
- Many States lack the authority to conduct regular recruiting drives and do not have a permanent police recruitment board.
- Recruitment is only done against approximately 4% to 5% of the total posts, assuming that the attrition rate in the police forces is between 2.5% and 3% and that the yearly sanction of new roles is between 1.5% and 2%.
- Therefore, based on historical data, it would take at least 20 years to raise the proportion of women in the police force from 10% to 30%.
Crime statistics and the requirement for more female police officers:
- The central government has amended “criminal law” and “criminal procedure,” placing them on the Concurrent List. As a result, certain reports and statements must be documented by a female police officer.
- A female police officer is required to do the arrest and search of a woman who is accused.
- Thus, even when handling problems involving women, there is not enough womanpower accessible.
- Everyday tasks like maintaining law and order also require women.
- The scope of recruiting women into the police force has been further expanded by the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
- There is no denying that women are capable of handling any task in a police organisation.
- In the majority of police tasks, they have already shown their mettle. To gain the trust of the people, any institution in a democracy must be genuinely reflective of the people.
Work needs to be done:
- Since “police” is included in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution as a “State” topic, the States continue to be the primary entity responsible for implementing “police reforms.”
- Beginning in 2018–19, the MHA offered financial incentives to States that successfully implemented police reforms, reserving 10% of overall modernization funds in the first year and 20% of those funds in subsequent years.
- Comparably, even though the creation of the Police Recruitment Board was another such reform, many States were reluctant to put it into practise and as a result, did not reap the benefits.
- In order to encourage States to set up a “women desk” in each police station, the MHA also offered a special subsidy.
- However, there aren’t enough female employees in the districts to manage them. In addition, the MHA’s modernization plan includes a particular clause requiring the construction of gender-specific restrooms for female employees and the establishment of authorised child care centres in each police station.
In summary:
- More women should be encouraged to join the police force, and the bare minimum requirements for this include a conducive atmosphere and enough infrastructure.
