Government mulls 33 % reservation for women in Delhi Police, all Union Territories

NEW DELHI: In its effort to deploy more women in law-and-order duties, the government is planning to reserve 33 per cent jobs in Delhi Police and police forces of all Union Territories.

A note in this effect is being prepared by the Home Ministry and is expected to be presented before the Union Cabinet for its approval soon, highly-placed sources told PTI tonight.

This is seen as the first step of the NDA government to give more representation to women in police forces across the country, particularly in duties to check crime against women.

The move comes after the NDA government did a thorough study on the overall representation of women in Delhi Police and police forces of the Union Territories.

According to latest data of 2013, the all-India average representation of women in the police forces is a meagre 5.33 per cent or 84,479 police women against an actual strength of 15.85 lakh police force in the country.

Apart from Delhi, the other UTs which will soon see 33 per cent women police are Chandigarh, Andaman Nicobar Island, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Puducherry.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh is personally keen to implement the proposal to give 33 per cent reservation to women in police forces.

The move comes in the backdrop of rising rape cases and crime against women across the country, particularly in Delhi.

Crime against women in the national capital has been a major concern for long and particularly after the December 16, 2012 gangrape incident.