The Union Cabinet on 20 March 2015 approved 33 percent reservation for women in police forces of all Union territories (UTs) including Delhi police, through direct recruitment in non-gazetted posts like constables to sub-inspectors.
The aim of the decision is to make police more gender-sensitive and increase representation of women in Police.
The reservation will also cover reserved categories like SCs, STs and OBCs. The reservation would apply to all existing vacancies in police forces of the UTs and any vacancy arising later.
The decision was taken in the Union Cabinet meet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the backdrop of the rising demands for concrete actions to curb crimes against women, more so after the 16 December 2012 Delhi Gangrape case.
Earlier on 24 June 2014, Gujarat Government had announced 33 percent reservation for women in the police force of the state.
Verma Committee
The decision is in line with the recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee that was set up after the 16 December 2012 incident in Delhi.
Verma Committee had recommended amendments to criminal laws which were accepted by the Union government. It enacted the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 which made significant changes in the provisions relating to women in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
