Project Type: Current Projects

Strengthening the Role of Women in Karnataka State Police

Background

In September 2021, NLSIU initiated a research project to assess and strengthen the role of women in policing in India, with a focus on the southern state of Karnataka. Since 2009, the need to increase the representation of women in the police forces has gained prominence in Indian policy discourse. This shift is attributed to certain criminal law reforms that enlarged the statutory functions to be undertaken by women police personnel. In 2009 the Government of India adopted, for the first time, a target of 33% representation of women in the police. The Government of Karnataka has adopted a target of 25%. Achieving this target in a time-bound manner will require coordinated and simultaneous efforts at multiple levels to ensure the recruitment of women at each entry level, year-on-year; robust facilities and infrastructure; and effective policies by way of creating an enabling environment for women. The aim of the project is to deepen evidence on the challenges facing policewomen in the state, identify persistent gaps in implementation of legal and policy commitments, and recommend actionable measures for ensuring an equitable growth of women in the police.

The project is funded by the Hanns Seidel Stiftung, a leading German Foundation. It has two phases: Phase 1 that began in September 2021 and ended in December 2023, and Phase 2 that began in January 2024 and is continuing till the end of 2026.

Phase 1: September 2021 – December 2023 

The focus during Phase 1 of the project was to conduct ground research. In May 2022, NLSIU entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the Karnataka State Police to conduct an independent assessment of the status, role and challenges facing policewomen at different levels within the state police. The study involved a) district and police station-wise assessment of women’s representation at different ranks across the state; and b) ground assessment of challenges faced by policewomen in Karnataka through one-on-one interviews with senior women police officers, focus group discussions with women constables in 8-10 districts across Karnataka, and administration of a perception survey to gauge the views of male and female police officers on the importance of having women in policing. For details on the methodology, see the concept note.

The assessment was completed during 2021-2023. An initial draft of the study report was shared with the police department in October 2023 and a revised draft in early 2024 after incorporating feedback received from the department. The final report was presented before the DGIGP and other senior police leaders in March 2025.

Read the Report

Alongside research, the project also developed targeted resources explaining legal provisions, national policies as well as international practices and trends on supporting policewomen. These are being disseminated widely to police leaders, practitioners and researchers. The resources are listed below.

Final Study Report

The final study report was presented before the police chief and other senior officers in March 2025 and released in September 2025. It can be accessed here.

In The Media

Watch the inaugural webinar on ‘Global Practices on Women in Policing’ below:

Phase 2: January 2024 – December 2026

Building on the empirical research conducted under the 2021-23 women police project, Phase 2 focuses on engaging with the Karnataka State Police to promote better policies for, and an improved understanding of, gender diversity goals, principles, and strategies in policing. One way in which the project seeks to do this is by institutionalising training on the importance of women in policing. NLSIU is engaging with the Karnataka State Police Academy, Mysore, and the Police Training College, Kalaburagi, to deliver refresher courses aimed at mid-level supervisory officers (sub-inspector, inspector and deputy superintendent of police ranks). The training seeks to improve knowledge about constitutional and legal obligations on equal opportunities within the police, different policy initiatives on integrating women, challenges on the ground, and ways in which a gender diverse institution can drive positive policing outcomes remain missing from most training workshops on gender. Jurisprudence around substantive equality, affirmative action, legal remedies and police reforms are discussed to deepen the understanding of organisational changes required for achieving gender diversity in policing. It is hoped that such programs enable supportive leadership at cutting-edge of policing, and contribute to overcoming gender stereotyping and discrimination that continues to constrain women’s growth in the profession.

Further details of the training program will be updated on the project page by end of 2025.

Research Team

  • Devyani Srivastava
  • Laksha Kalappa Baleyada
  • Vidya Pai
  • Pavani Lavu

For more information, please reach out to:

Devyani Srivastava: 

Laksha Kalappa Baleyada: 

 

Theory and Practice of Social Accountability

The ‘Theory and Practice of Social Accountability’ project seeks to build an evidence base and public archive of transparency, accountability and participatory governance practices in India.

Project Overview

Civil society organisations in India and the government have been pioneers in collaboratively designing and institutionalising practical interventions that are aimed at deepening democratic governance such as proactive disclosure of government information, social audits and citizen oversight, transparency in decision making, facilitation support in accessing basic entitlements, and grievance redress. While these initiatives have demonstrated the possibilities of scaling social accountability at scale for the rest of the world, serious challenges remain.

Resistance to reform, social exclusion, resource constraints, weak feedback mechanisms and considerable variation across states opens up many avenues for new research. Empirical research which unpacks the functioning and challenges of grounding social accountability platforms in India is thin and has not kept pace with legal, institutional, and technological developments.

Objective

This project, situated at the intersection of policy research and practice, will focus on bridging this gap and creating a network of institutions and individuals — within government, civil society and academic institutions — to conceptualise, build, and assess the implementation of social accountability reforms in India and beyond.

The two year-project project started in September 2024 and is funded by the International Budget Partnership, USA.

The project has two main components:

(I) Research

The project will produce three types of research based outputs. First, review of laws, policies and data on accountability and transparency in public service delivery and governance in India. This will include a comparative study of central and state grievance redress portals, the functioning of independent citizen oversight bodies, implementation of social impact assessment rules amongst others. Second, a multi-state, field-based study that examines the social and political life of accountability platforms will be conducted in the second year of the project. Third, resources and toolkits for strengthening public accountability systems.

(II) Dialogue

The project will bring together various stakeholders from government and civil society who are at the forefront of research and practice on transparency and accountability in India. Workshops and seminars held over the course of this project will focus on developing a shared agenda and strategies for improving public accountability. These dialogues will also provide critical inputs into the research design that will be undertaken by the project.

Project on Witness Protection Scheme in Karnataka

The project ‘Witness Protection Scheme in Karnataka’ began in June 2025 to address one of the most pressing challenges in India’s criminal justice system, the protection of witnesses. Despite the centrality of witness testimony to criminal proceedings, India continues to face severe challenges due to intimidation, threats, and hostility faced by witnesses. The issue is particularly acute in high-profile and organised crime cases, often resulting in acquittals and a loss of public confidence in justice delivery.

In 2018, the Ministry of Home Affairs, in consultation with the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), introduced the Witness Protection Scheme, following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Mahender Chawla v. Union of India case. While the scheme marked an important step in institutionalising witness protection, its implementation and effectiveness remain inadequately studied, especially at the state level.

With the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023 now mandating each state to develop its own scheme, this project seeks to support Karnataka in developing a robust, evidence-based, and context specific witness protection framework.

The project is funded by Hanns Siedel Stiftung.

Project Description

The project aims to critically evaluate and strengthen the existing witness protection mechanisms in Karnataka through in-depth research, stakeholder engagement, and comparative analysis of international best practices. It seeks to bridge the gap between policy intent and on-ground implementation, enabling Karnataka to formulate a model witness protection scheme that can be adapted by other states as well.

Objectives

  • Studying the nature and extent of threats faced by witnesses in criminal proceedings
  • Engaging with diverse stakeholders including judges, police officials, prosecutors, defence lawyers, witnesses, NALSA, and KSLSA to understand operational challenges
  • Analysing the functioning of current witness protection measures in Karnataka
  • Evaluating the 2018 Witness Protection Scheme (WPS) to identify gaps and potential reforms
  • Reviewing international frameworks and best practices to inform the design of a context-specific model for Karnataka
  • Disseminating findings through policy briefs, consultations, and seminars

The project’s outcomes will include a study report on the functioning of WPS in Karnataka, informed by research, consultation, and international cooperation, including an exchange with the Bavarian police to study comparative models.

Collaborating institutions include NALSA, KSLSA, relevant departments of the Government of Karnataka, the police, civil society organisations, and academic experts.

Expected Outcomes:

  • A comprehensive understanding of current challenges
  • A study report for Karnataka
  • Strengthened institutional and stakeholder capacity to implement effective witness protection

Key Activities / Components

  • Doctrinal and empirical research on witness protection laws and implementation across India
  • RTI-based data collection and analysis on protection requests, approvals, and enforcement mechanisms
  • Stakeholder consultation workshops (three workshops, two days each) with representatives from judiciary, police, prosecution, and civil society
  • Comparative study of international best practices in witness protection
  • Exchange programme with Bavarian police to learn from European models
  • Development of a draft witness protection scheme for Karnataka
  • Preparation of policy briefs with actionable recommendations
  • Dissemination seminar (two days) to share key findings and the draft scheme

Duration

June 2025- End of 2026

Resources

Planned outputs under this project include:

  • Comprehensive Research Report on the state of witness protection in India and Karnataka
  • Comparative Report on international best practices
  • Draft Witness Protection Scheme for Karnataka
  • Policy Brief on improving witness protection mechanisms

Team

Prof. Rahul Raman, Project Lead & Assistant Professor, NLSIU
Vidisha, Project Assistant, NLSIU