Despite a 33% reservation policy for women in Odisha’s police force dating back to 1992, achieving gender parity remains decades away
OdishaPlus Bureau
Odisha will require about 73 years to achieve one-third women’s representation in its police force, according to the India Justice Report (IJR) 2025. The findings indicated that Odisha currently has 11% women in the police and 14.2% female officers in the force.
The figures are significant considering the state implemented a 33% reservation for women in the police force in 1992. The report, a Tata Trusts initiative with support from civil society organisations and data partners, evaluated the performance of states across the police, judiciary, prisons, and legal aid sectors.
Odisha’s overall ranking in all parameters has improved to 8th in IJR 2025 from 11th position in 2022. The 2025 report shows that 22 states/UTs, including Odisha, have shown slight improvements in women’s representation compared to the IJR 2022. Previously (IJR 2022), Odisha needed 73 years to reach one-third women’s representation, with 9.1% women in police and 11.1% female officers.
The report indicates that “Odisha and West Bengal are significantly behind, with one police officer responsible for 1,298 and 1,277 individuals, respectively.”
However, Odisha excels nationally in the implementation of eMulaqat within its prisons. “The highest adoption of eMulaqat was observed in Odisha at 43%, followed closely by Himachal Pradesh at 42%,” the report mentioned. eMulaqat, which was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitates improved digital communication between inmates and their families, as well as legal representatives.
Furthermore, Odisha also leads in the frequency of prison inspections conducted by authorities. “Prisons, being inherently closed environments, are subject to various oversight mechanisms from the executive, judiciary, and medical sectors. Notably, Odisha recorded the highest number of visits at 138%,” the report highlighted.
