‘If a man stays away from home for months, family accepts it. That is not the case with women’: Where are women SHOs of Delhi Police?

Delhi has 219 law and order police stations — out of a total of 225 stations — but only two women are Station House Officers (SHOs). Currently, Inspectors Vandana Rao and Vipnesh head CR Park in South Delhi and Netaji Subhash Place under the Delhi Metro; the remaining 217 stations are led by men.

Among the six other police stations in other units (apart from law and order), one has a woman SHO — Adith Lily Baxla, who heads the Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC).

There are nearly 10,000 women personnel serving across ranks — from constables to commissioners (IPS rank) — making up only 10% of the total force, which numbers around a lakh. In higher ranks, six women are Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) as compared to 46 men. While 13 men are Special Commissioners, one woman has been appointed to the post.

The role of an SHO is challenging. As the head of a police station, they are responsible for all law and order matters within their station’s jurisdiction. It’s a 24×7 job; they do not get any weekly or monthly days off.

“Serving in the force is a kind of tapasy (dedication), especially when you also have to take care of your family,” says the inspector quoted above. “I’m not saying that men have it easier, but for us, it becomes more challenging… we have to manage the family, the police station, and also compete with our male counterparts,” she adds.

An officer outlines the organisational structure of a police station: It consists of three inspectors — two handling investigations and one in charge of law and order. They report to the senior-most inspector, the SHO. In addition to these three inspectors, a police station is staffed with around 120 to 150 personnel, ranging from sub-inspectors to constables.

The officer also explains the process to choose an SHO in the Delhi Police. An inspector must appear before a screening committee, which is headed by three officers of the Special Commissioner rank, for an interview. This process takes place only when a vacancy arises — typically after an SHO has completed a two-year tenure at a police station.

The recruitment of women personnel in the force began right after its formation in 1948.

In 2021, then-Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana appointed nine women inspectors as SHOs in a single order — one of the most significant efforts to increase women’s representation in SHO roles. However, some of these appointees later withdrew, writing to their seniors and citing various reasons for not continuing in the position.

Before this, the record for the most women SHOs was set in 1986, when five women served simultaneously.

“Women inspectors often don’t come forward to show interest in becoming SHOs,” a senior officer says. “The force needs to conduct motivational training to encourage them to take up the role.”

According to former Delhi Police IPS officer Kiran Bedi, a systemic change could help.

“If you want more women to become SHOs in the Delhi Police, there needs to be a shift system. Men can work 24×7, often at the expense of their families, but women cannot,” says Bedi.

“In Delhi, SHOs are not allowed to return home for weeks at a time. In our society, if a man stays away from home for weeks or even months, the family accepts it. But that is not the case with women,” she adds.

Bedi believes having more women SHOs would make a visible difference. “Society would appreciate seeing a woman inspector in the role of an SHO.”